The Midori Incident
by awanbiru
Summary: Zero and Aidou made two odd choices to be vamp-napped. Both are extremely stubborn,impulsive and prideful; will they work out of it together before they end up killing one another? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters._

**The Midori Incident**

**Sneak Peek/Preview:**

"...

_The morning sunrays filtered through the leaves above their heads, piercing down to the foggy rocky earth like invisible towering tombstones. Yes, tombstones ... He had been thinking of those in the past hour, omens of his impending demise. He shrugged the thought aside. They had been moving fast, using their vampire speed to the fullest. He did not like it at all, utilizing his unexplored side but he needed to keep up with the yellowish blur in front of him. It irked him that he could pursue it with ease. The landscape was gradually changing; sparser trees, rockier ground and he felt the strong gust of wind barraging mercilessly against his face. The rock cliff was up ahead._

_Then he saw Aidou's lonely outline cutting against the harsh sunrays. Fierce gust of wind were ruffling his hair as he stood statue like by the edge of the precipice; studying the sudden drop into the swirling mist rising amongst the treetops below. The face was uncharacteristically solemn, contemplating before slowly turning towards him. "Here's the frontier ... What now?" Aidou dropped the filthy haversack ungracefully onto the ground._

_The air around them shifted, both of them could feel the impending threat approaching like a swarm of gnats. The rustling of dried falling, leaves grew louder and louder despite of the wind howling in their ears. He cracked his knuckles and shrugged his shoulders in indifference; ignoring his long silvery bangs fluttering wildly in the wind, lashing cruelly onto his eyeballs and licked his dried, chapped lips._

"_We kill them."_

..."

**A/N: **Zero and Aidou made two odd choices to be vamp-napped. Both are stubborn, impulsive and prideful; will they work out of it together before they end up killing one another instead? Yuki's took matter into her own hands and dragged a reluctant Kaname along in search of her two missing friends. It's actually more of a set up to the next work, **The Black Iris**. You'll see how Zero and Aidou's unlikely friendship builds up while getting a glimpse of their hidden past. Kaname stays on the sidelines in this story but he'll be dealing with his internal conflicts regarding his relationship with Yuuki and Zero. Kaito's shadier cunning side will also be explored. There would be no yaoi in this one. I'm sad too but I made up for it... So you have to read and find out. This story sets the base for the second story.

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Chapter 1

Waking up with a 13 Richter scaled headache was not a very good experience. Well, if such magnitude had ever existed, at least to him it does. Disorientated and agitated, his whole body ached like he had been struck by a lightning bolt. The scent of his blood and some sort of chemical clogged up his nose. Actually it was the scent of his blood mixed with the stale nauseating stench of _foreign_ bodily fluids; blood, sweat, maybe saliva and another kind of _secretion_ bunged up his nerves and made him want to puke. The chemical just reminded him of his school lab, the smell lingering on the jars and jars of disgusting creepy crawlies and small animals submerged in murky putrid formalin, specifically _that_ smell when the chemistry teacher once knocked out a big fat rat using a cloth doused in chloro-something. He cursed his muddled head.

He moved his arms but stopped because they were tied securely behind him to something cold and metallic tightly pressed to his back. He realized he was strapped to a metal chair, his knees spread apart as his ankles were also tied to each of the metal legs. A thick band of mouldy funny smelling cloth obscured his vision, tied too tightly and digging into the back of his damp obviously blood soaked hair. He could feel his fingers and feet numbing to the abnormally cold surroundings, his breath must be turning into puffs of condensed steam and some of it frosted at the tip of his nose. A faint whirring sound broke the silence and a gust of freezing cold air blasted through whatever room he was in, minus his thick school overcoat and jacket; leaving his plain white cotton uniform shirt frozen crisp and paper-like. Several buttons must be missing because the top half of the garment flapped loosely against his chest. Sweet, he got a nice _air-conditioned_ potential hell-hole right in the middle of summer.

He shook his head, willing the headache to fade away as well as forcing his disorientated brain to analyze his predicament. Probably not too long ago he was on his way back to his small apartment from school with his groceries in a brown paper bag, his school books in his backpack. Definitely not too long ago somebody had waited for him in the dark corner of the hallway and whacked him viciously at the back of his head with a piece of galvanized pipe right after he fished out his keys in his pocket. He got to give him some credit for being able to stay off his radar, the son of a bitch managed to hide himself pretty good.

Almost in slow motion, he saw the bloodied pipe clattered on the ground along with his whole bag of foodstuff. However, he surprised his attacker by not immediately dropping down unconscious upon the blow but grabbed the bastard's right ankle simultaneously reaching for his gun strapped to his shoulder holster. The scum maybe human, but a gun is a gun and the Bloody Rose was one intimidating looking piece of a metal enough to scare some sense into any sensible dude to back off.

Too bad he got one insensible oaf on him because the surprisingly agile heavy-breathing mammoth of a man efficiently crushed his wrist with his other foot, kicked his gun away into the dark oblivion of the hallway and electrocuted him three times with a taser baton. Thrice because he had clawed the man's calf after the first jolt, missed the oaf's groin when he swung his legs up right after the second shock but one foot was caught and he was flipped over onto his stomach to be zapped at the nape. Then, the well-prepared bastard proved that putrid chloroform does work on vampires. Whoever the bastard was, he had determinedly wanted to capture him bad. Lo and behold, Kiriyu Zero the young Hunter Association's hotshot had been powered down into sleep mode, hauled off somewhere to be strapped down onto a freezing cold metal contraption in a room that could rival the cruellest winter in Japan.

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**A/N- **

Kindly drop your feedback please, even if it's just a line saying "Good job" or "I read it" or "You suck" or "Go to hell". I just wanted to know that you've read and got something out of it. Leave something behind coz I do study the reader traffic patterns and I know how many of you read my work. I'm really good at reading chart data, it's part of my day job. So, I'm obsessed with it. Say something to me coz I'm a very lonely human being. *grins* Can you feel my loneliness? Ahh.. I feel tired and empty. For those shy ones, you can stick to emails. They'll pop up on my PDA so I'll probably reply those faster.

Tell me what you think. Or else, just burn me. Flames are thoughts too. ^^ Luv ya!

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	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters._

**Pairings: **_ZeroxAidou (non-yaoi), KanamexYuuki, YuukixZero (one-sided)_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 2

The faint whirring of the electrical motor ceased. The sudden silence amplified his numbness. Tugging at his binds, he nearly laughed out loud to find the idiot had used plastic tubes instead of something stronger; the elastic material was not enough to hold him, a cursed ex-human with freakishly inhuman capabilities. He could snap then without even breaking a sweat. Should he get away or should he sit around a bit longer to meet the stupid fool and torture him slowly for kidnapping him? He could not sense the captor's aura anywhere near simultaneously cursing the stinking rag covering his eyes; he could use some peripheral vision. However, although much to his revulsion and denial, his vampire enhanced senses could be exploited in these kinds of situations.

Zero rocked his body in the metal chair, causing the hind legs to scrape against the floor. He studied the echoes reverberating off the walls, analyzing the sound waves. The room had metal walls and the floor was made of concrete, judging from the velocity and the threshold of the echoes, it was a fairly large room with low ceilings. There was some sort of metallic clinking above, some creaking too. He could not make sense out of it but something wet like mud sloshed under the soles of his bare feet. The whirring started again and more cold air was blasted in, ruffling his open shirt. He could feel the ice crusting on the skin of his chest. Judging from the temperature, the size and the reeking, rancid smell of rotting haemoglobin both of human and animal origins permeating off the enclosure he was in; he had conformed his hypothesis. The bastard was holding him in a fucking meat freezer turned slaughterhouse, the smell of torture and murder was way too obvious. He has a psycho up in his ass and he had to get away, pronto.

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Flipping through the yellowing pages of an old musty leather covered book, she sighed. The clock had just struck 10 and there were no stars in the night sky. She could almost smell the dark sulphuric clouds. It would rain later. The humidity was overwhelming; she regretted wearing her belted khaki shirtwaist dress. She should have chosen something out of lighter cotton. Placing the book onto the ancient oak study, she tugged off the elastic hair band securing her long dark shiny brown hair; which cascaded down to her slim waist. Somebody carefully knocked on the door.

"Has he arrived yet?" she asked the tall elderly butler almost impatiently, drumming her long fingers on the book. The butler bowed apologetically, signifying a negative. "Koda-san, may I please have my cell phone?" Her request was granted as he efficiently disappeared and reappeared with the shiny apple red device placed on a silver tray; vampire servants are a blessing. "Thank you. You may leave," she dismissed him.

No text, no messages, no calls, no nothing and uncharacteristically late. Aidou was usually so anal about abiding time and the word _late_ was nonexistent in his dictionary. She punched the number 4 on her speed dial and waited for him to pick up. Uncharacteristically again, he did not and she got his voicemail. _"Hey, it's a shame the irresistibly gorgeous me had missed your call. Leave me some love and I'll pounce back at you later,"_ Frivolousness had always been his forte. Cringing, she waited for the beep, "Aidou –senpai, it's me, Yuuki. Are you all right? We're supposed to pick me up at 11:30, remember? Call me back."

She hung up and stashed the contraption into her handbag, "Where are you Aidou?" Her bags were packed and ready downstairs. The blond should have arrived an hour ago. They were scheduled to meet up with Kaname in Okinawa and their flight will be at 0100hrs. Getting Kaname off his duties was dreadfully hard and getting him to go on a weekend break was almost excruciatingly impossible. Yuuki had to practically threaten the prince to move back with her adoptive father, Cross Kaien just to get him to push back his schedules and agree to go on a trip to the beaches. Most vampires may hate sunshine but Kuran Yuuki was no ordinary vampire, she had once lived as a human and she knew she could convince her brother and the irritatingly late friend to at least enjoy the white sands and balmy summer sea breeze under a shady umbrella, tree or whatever while she splash around in the water; Seiren will definitely stay close to her so maybe she could be swayed into donning on a sexy swimsuit too. It will be a chance to get Aidou to stop chasing skirts and get together with the silent platinum blond beauty. Then it would be perfect, she would have Kaname all to herself while those two nobles can get to know each other better. She giggled at the fantasy; it would be fun to hang out just like normal people once in a while. Well, maybe she could, if Aidou finally showed up of course.

Aidou was supposed to escort her there to meet Kaname and Seiren who will be flying in from Kyoto. Wishing she had had the air tickets instead of the blond flirt, she pictured herself running through the airport gates alone and smiled. She would personally strangle the vampire noble with her bare hands until his pretty bright blue eyes bulged in their sockets if he screws up.

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Zero shook his head one more time, willing his pounding headache to disappear. It did not work. Instead he began to notice a strange prickling sensation building up in his chest, like tiny specks of sharp glass floating in his veins and accumulated around his heart; his bloodlust. He ignored it.

Clenching his teeth, he focused his energy and tugged his hands. The thick plastic tubing stretched a bit but not enough. They were coiled from his wrist right up to his elbows, binding them uncomfortably tight together. Obviously the elastic weave and knots were carefully planned by the sick bastard to slow him down; he could have easily break chains or hemp with brute force. Plastic withstands tension better, damn.

His ears picked up distant footsteps approaching the room. He stretched the binds again, the tubes dug painfully into his flesh. Increasing his strength, he gave a hard tug. The top knots snapped, something wet seeped into his shirtsleeves and there was a searing pain and something akin of scalding liquid burning his skin, he could smell his own blood in the air. Something was in those tubes, he realised belatedly as the pain increased exponentially. _Come on Zero, you've been through worse than this, _he thought. Again, he tugged and the rest of them came loose, not without leaking more and more of that rancid burning toxic.

Clamping on his urge to scream out in agony, silence was his top priority as a potential threat was rapidly approaching. If the bastard had been able to elude his senses and surprised him, the possibility of him being able to anticipate a counter-attack would be highly likely. Zero freed his hands and snagged his blindfold away, his eyes quickly adapting to the semi-darkness. His hands were on fire, there was definitely something dangerous in those fucking tubes; it couldn't be acid or one of those textbook corrosives. The liquid singed his flesh and were eating through his bones but not his clothing, acid and chemicals are not selective abrasives. The pain was almost unbearable and his brains told him to stop moving and deal with the torture, agonizing enough to discourage and incapacitate a hostage. However, he was no ordinary hostage so he called upon his years of gruelling training and focused on his escape.

Similar tubes were used to tie down his legs. He was right, the twists and knots were like pieces of intricate art. His captor had plenty of time to practice. They were no doubt filled with more of those vile liquid. Snapping them would definitely cause a whole new level of pain, _lovely_. He could see the bones in his fingers, the flesh scorched and bits were hanging off, his wrist raw and oozing blood; showing no signs of clotting as the liquid continued to melt away his flesh, bubbling and smoking. The wounds are trying to heal but the corrosive ate the new tissues, reopening them further. He was in hell but the quickening footsteps turned his misery into silent panic.

Again, ignoring the already intolerable stings, he reached down to one of the chair legs and twisted the metal, breaking it simultaneously aggravating his horrendous wounds. Amazingly the tubes and metal could be easily slid off his leg. In a quick assessment, the skin and flesh on his right thumb had fallen off, leaving the bone protruding uselessly from the stump. His forearms were raw and bloody; his vampire healing ability short circuited by the corrosives, thankfully the pain slowly numbed. High in adrenalin, he repeated the process to the other leg; and found a large hole had been bored into his left palm in the process. He tore his shirt and tied strips of them around both hands; even flexing was killing him. Lightheaded from the blood loss, he scanned the room to figure out his contingency plan.

Another gust of cold air blasted from a vent in the ceiling and he heard the metal clinks again. Smirking, he saw them, rows and rows of menacing rusty metal hooks caked in reddish brown stuff probably once used to hang frozen meat in the dim bluish light. Reaching up, he unhooked one of them with his right hand. He would use them to gut the bastard before hanging him to bleed to death. He would make him pay for messing with a hunter, that foolish man. The footsteps were getting louder and he waited. Retaliation had never been so sweet. He raised the metal hook high above his head, taking on an offensive stance and waited.

The footsteps stopped behind the metal door. Zero could hear the heavy breathing mammoth fumbling with a padlock. But suddenly he stopped and the big voice, although muffled by the thick door warned, "Put that down Kiriyu and back away from the door!"

Strange, the oaf could not possibly have X-ray vision. Nevertheless, Zero tightened his grip on the hook and crouched lower. But the door did not open. Heavy-breathing-mammoth dropped something big and lumpy onto the floor and bellowed, "I can see you in there. Drop the hook, boy! Or I swear I'll..."

See, how can the bastard see him? Unless.. He noticed a faint red light blinking just above the door. There was an infra-red camera installed. Zero had underestimated the oaf. "Or you what? Fucking dick, I swear I'll kill you!" Zero cut him off.

"Watch your filthy trap boy or your friend dies," the deep voice taunted. "Besides, you won't stand a chance going at me with your mangled hands. They couldn't even hurt a fly no more." Several volleys of curses ensued from the oaf and there was a small scuffle on the floor, a hard thud and then silence. _Friend? What the hell? He got another one, damn! _Zero guessed the captive must have put up some sort of resistance. _Good boy_.

"Sorry pal, as anti-social as I am; I have no friend!" Zero growled. Heavy-breathing-mammoth had bagged in another kid, his mind screamed amidst his rioting senses. He prayed hard the bastard did not touch any of his frail human school mates from the academy. Currently, he could sense another life flickering behind the door but he was too weakened by the blood lost to tell. Blood lost equals blood lust and he was having quite a hard time to maintain his focus on pulverizing the bastard. He will not die without taking him down first.

Heavy-breathing-mammoth laughed manically, "Oh, yes you do. You should see his face when I told him that you died." Then he kicked at something and Zero heard a muffled groan. "It's funny how a Level-B bastard had so much concern for a filthy D like you."

The gears in his head turned, Level-B? D? _Heavy-breathing-mammoth is a hunter?_. That explains the weird stuff that have efficiently destroyed his hands; hunter weapons. Who says weapons are limited to sharp metal blades, or guns? Explosives, seals and as well as evil flesh-eating stuff were counted too. Things just got complicated; exponentially.

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*Laughs* I wanna throw myself in a bonfire. My English teacher must be crying in her grave (yeah, I'm _that_ old, darling. Kidding). But I'm quite puzzled that I Chapter 1 got 5 hits within 30 minutes I posted that one up. Then it flatlined. *Laughs again* It was a phenomenon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters._

**A/N: **The title of the story had to be changed. Chucked "Whistles in the Dark" I discovered that there was a published book with the same title (dum.. dum.. doom) and there was an awesome fic by our revered writer; Blackened Wing (Secrets in the Dark) it sounds similar. Shame on me. I'll appologize. So I've chaged mine to a lamer "**The Midori Incident**" _Don't ask. _I've been tracking the visitors traffic and I was surprised; 60 visitors in less than 48 hours. Oooooh... Thanks for reading and those who 'PM'ed, I love you. But you people are too lazy to review (I was anticipating C4 bombs). Anyways, here's the next chapter. I edited this so fast that the person sitting next to me thought I was crazy. Got stuck in a stoooopiiiid convention with the other nerds (there are no bishounens in my line of work.. damn and I'm no stunner either) and I got sick listening to clones of my CFO yapping (I hate him.. he haunts my dreams) so I got loads of 'free' time (I was slacking, okay) and thank god for public wifi. Drop in some criticism and don't hold back. I need those to grow.

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**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 3

Yuuki paced back and forth anxiously in the foyer. Aidou was running terribly late and she was worried. Kaname and Seiren could not be reached meaning he was already flying to Okinawa. The brown haired pureblood had scrapped the trip in the backburner. Presently, the fiery blond noble's disappearance upsets her.

She had called the Aidou's residence and they had deployed their guards to search for the young heir. He had been living on his own for a few months in a condominium in the swankier part of town. He cited his desire for independence as the reason for the move. Yuuki doubted Aidou being capable of self-government. The blond was too picky, hopelessly self-absorbed, and narcissistic and chased anything with skirts. Yuuki had been to his new bachelor pad quite frequently; Aidou was her tutor, an appointed guardian. Kaname had made sure Aidou stayed close to her especially during his long absences. So wherever she goes, Aidou followed and vice versa. His place had a nice view, expensively furnished and everything about the place mirrored him perfectly; bright, shiny, sharp and loud. She would not be surprised if he had invited women over and entertained whenever he had the opportunity.

The old butler appeared and bowed, Yuuki inhaled too sharply in surprise. She had never got used to these rapid vampire movements. "We have something, Yuuki-sama," he said. Yuuki did not like the look on his face. He was afraid of her. It could not be good news. She motioned him to speak.

"Aidou-obochama appeared to be missing from his residence, his bags in the trunk untouched and engine idling in the underground car-park," he said tentatively and gulped. "There were signs of a scuffle and some traces of blood. It seems like he was attacked."

Her heart nearly dropped down to her stomach. She must have paled because Koda apologized profusely for delivering the news badly. She waived him off, "What else do we know?"

A bony hand clenched into fists at the side of the man, an act akin to resentment. "They found a weapon, engraved with the words 'Bloody Rose' at the scene. But there were no signs of the owner, the vampire hunter.."

"Kiriyu Zero," she finished for him in a strangled whisper and buckled down to the floor.

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Heavy-breathing-mammoth kicked his captive again. This time there was a string of curses and a volley of insults addressed to the oaf's mother. Zero knew that voice. Not exactly the person he would have called his friend, regardless he just happened to know the vampire.

"Shut the fuck up sissy boy!" the oaf's voice boomed. Something bright flickered from underneath the door before something came crashing against it. A hunter spell, Zero knew that light because he had used that same technique several times during his training with Yagari. Bones crunched, silence, followed by the sound of a body being dragged away to the left side of the door. Zero braced for action once more and gripped the metal hook firmer, with the thumb compromised, he could not deliver much force but it does not mean he could not put up a fight. He brushed his hair away hastily with his bandaged left hand. The pain gnawed him raw. _Blood!_ The beast inside him screamed in the thirst. _No, shut up!_ Somehow, he had to focus. Heavy-breathing-mammoth could see him from outside and anticipate his attack but there was still something the fucker did not have; vampire speed.

"You have nerve, Kiriyu. Innovative, I forgot those hooks could kill. The others couldn't even move after a taste of my special binds. Why can't you be a good boy and accept your end like an E should?" the oaf leered. _Others? _Then it made sense. The inch-thick mud on the floor was no ordinary mud, they were wet vampire ashes. Carnage was written all over the walls in splatters of crusty reddish-browns. Heavy-breathing-mammoth did indeed have had a lot of practice.

"Put that thing down or I'll make you regret,"

"Make me!"

The bastard snickered, "Sure."

The air moved and a white searing pain combusted in his chest. Everything went black.

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Currently, the curious and admiring stares he received from the general public were grating on his nerves. They were not to be blamed of course, he stood out like a sore thumb by wearing a dark sharply cut suit in the sea of T-shirts, shorts and scanty tank tops. Seiren was nowhere in sight, she had gone after the luggage.

As expected the airport thrummed with humans. Kaname wondered why Yuuki had such an obsession with Okinawa. Not only there are hoards and hoards of tourist, the island was swelteringly humid, and it will be painfully hot and sunny in daytime; he did not hate the sun but the giant fireball just had always been vicious to their kind. The fairly sensitive skinned Aidou no doubt will be burned bright red like a lobster in no time. Well, at least that will prevent the noble to ogle the bikini clad girls which Kaname was sure were bound to be plentiful at the beach or to his consternation, a bikini clad Yuuki. He growled at the thought, accidentally scaring a few innocent passengers.

The phone in his pocket rung and the cartoony ring tone told him it was Yuuki. She had swiped his phone and assigned that annoyingly childish jingle as her tone; an opening theme song to her favourite anime, she said. Since then, he had been dreading her call. The mortification he suffered once when she called him during a meeting with the hunters was one of the bad memories he earned. He forgot to set the blasphemous device in silent mode, all eyes had turned to him, some eyebrows were twitching but the hunters were too full of themselves to laugh. Save for Cross Kaien of course, the Hunter Association President turned into chibi-mode and asked if he could talk to Yuuki. Then, a smirking Kiriyu Zero fuelled his humiliation aflame. Naturally, both men must have known Yuuki's quirks since she had grown up around them.

"Please come back home, Kaname-sama. Something happened," her voice was laced with panic. She had even forgotten to say _hello_.

"Where are you? Are you all right?" he saw Seiren approaching and motioned her to come over.

"At home, we never left and I'm fine. Can you board the next flight back?" Yuuki seemed desperate. He could tell she was trying her best not to cry.

"Calm down. Tell me what's wrong, Yuuki," he doubted he could do anything to comfort her. Yuuki's breath hitched. Seiren had set the bags down and waited for his instructions, calm and composed as ever.

"Somebody attacked and took Aidou-senpai. There was blood everywhere. They found the Bloody Rose at the scene," her voice faltered. _Somebody? They found his gun and she still thinks he's.._ Her voice jolted him back, "I don't know what to do. Please, come back Kaname. I need you," she broke into tears. He was not sure for whom though. Sure enough, jealousy coursed through his veins.

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Somebody was slapping his face, a voice urging him to open up his eyes. There was that faint whirring sound again, cold and he shivered. He could feel nothing, physically he was numb but the raging demon in him was screaming for blood. _Stand down you monster. _

"Snap out of it, Kiriyu! Wake up!" the shrill voice was splitting his head open. How annoying.

"Kiriyu!" A pair of hands slapped his cheeks repeatedly. In reflex, he reached out and grabbed those offending appendages. A bad move considering the amount of damage he sustained on his own. Hot searing pain racked down his spine. Seeing red, he released the captured hands.

The voice hissed, and then receding a few steps away. An angry pair of feet stomped around. "Idiot, you transferred the vile thing on me!" the voice shrieked. The smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils. "Fuck, it's not healing! This is hunter shit!" Strings of profanities echoed in the room. As far as he could recall, _that_ particular person was too snooty to swear. So he was wrong.

He blinked. Even the small movement stung. His limbs felt like they were being grilled over red hot embers. Not good at all, his eyes must be glowing crimson at the smell of the other vampire's blood. The thirst for blood magnified his torture. The blond was tearing up his own bloodied shirt sleeves and fashioned a sloppy bandage around his hands. Long iron chains trailed from the wrists, the ends attached down to an eyelet on the floor. Bringing up his own hands, he realized he too was shackled in a similar manner. Those were hunter issued restraints, he could tell. The metal itself were burning their imprints into his already abused flesh, thank goodness the detrimental hunter juice had slowly lost their effect. His hands were no longer bleeding but of course, they were not healing as they should be because of the blood lost. Damn, he was so thirsty he could barely move.

A pair of angry red eyes suddenly snapped at him. "Got enough beauty sleep, Kiriyu?" Those red orbs were supposed to be blue. Not good, but he glared back anyways. The small gesture hurts, he winced. The throbbing in his chest cavity returned anew and he was covered in blood; his own blood. Definitely not good, for two almost desperate vampires craving blood in close proximity of each other will equal to a bloodbath. Speaking of bloodbaths, Aidou's clothing was stained with drying crimson. The noble had been injured but obviously being a noble class vampire had perks; he had healed.

"Fuck off Aidou," Zero sneered back.

The blond huffed and brandished an accusing finger at him, "Well fuck you too! This is all your fault."

"Shut up, airhead! How can this be my fault? I don't remember_ inviting_ you over," he glared at the blond, longing to smash his fist into the infuriating face. He would, if he could because at the moment, his hasty excuse of bandages was dripping anew. His body was struggling to repair itself but whatever substance he had gotten onto his skin was eating the new regenerated cells away. _Damn, it hurts like hell_. Aidou ignored him and continued working on his own version of makeshift dressings; the blond had torn off the other sleeve of his expensive looking cream coloured silk shirt and wrapped the fabric around his left forearm. "I swear I'll chop your hands off of this shit scars," he groused, tugging one end with his teeth into a knot.

Zero heard the distant trudge of heavy footsteps again, "Maybe later princess because here comes the ogre." Aidou must have heard them too, his face hardened and he tugged on his chains as hard as he could. It did not budge and Zero snickered, "Those won't break, your highness. You'll have to think of other ways to get out of here _intact_."

"Oh, excuse me for having a drive to live. What the hell's wrong with you lying stupid like that? Do something productive!" Aidou spat. He closed his eyes and concentrated, his brows knitted before he growled in frustration, "Great, my ice went on a vacation and why the hell are my hands not healing?"

Zero's legs wobbled as he tried to stand up. The heavy chains made it harder for him to lift up his nearly useless hands; the smell of his corroded flesh sickened him. Both of them were almost heaving for breath. Although he would rather shrivel into dust than admit it, both of them needed to work together and apparently the blond understood because the impulsive airhead had moved closer to him, dangerous glowing red orbs mirrored back his own.

He stared hatefully at Aidou "Keep it down, the buffoon has eyes in here." He motioned to the camera above the door and Aidou gave him a look saying _as if I care_. Zero could not believe the blonds' ignorance; the footsteps were getting closer. Only then he noticed the absence of the rusty meat hooks. There goes his potential weapon of choice.

He shifted closer to Aidou and hissed into his ears, "The bastard who hauled us in here is a hunter; a very cunning and experienced one, unfortunately. Get that prissy head of yours straightened because _none_ of _our_ vampire stuff works as long as we're in these things." He shook his chains to emphasize his point. Aidou's eyes widened in panic but he stayed quiet so Zero continued, "He got me bad and as you can see my hands are _useless_ and he had sealed your powers too. Obviously, I'm as good as dead but the bastard evidently had other plans since _you_ are here too."

The blond head cocked to one side and his eyes narrowed. Why would anyone want to keep the both of them captive? Why would anyone want anything to do with a volatile ex-human hunter and Kiriyu was obviously considered worthless amongst vampires; a Level-D is expendable. But why was he there too? Why had the obese human able to lure him by merely citing that Kiriyu was dead? He had never cared for the silver-haired vampire hunter but the _news_ surely did meant something to him because somebody would be.. _Oh_, _right_.

"The Kurans?" Aidou choked out the dreaded thought and Zero snickered, "So they didn't call you a genius for nothing,"

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Ever since he had first set his eyes on him, Kiriyu Zero had always been an abnormally pale boy. However, seeing the boy's face completely blanched and trembling disturbed him. The hideously deformed hands hung limp, bounded by the thick chains; blood trickled from the long mangled fingers onto the dirty floor. Zero was obviously in a lot of pain. Panting and heaving while trying his best to retain his coherence, he looked like a corpse from a B-rated movie. Well, he would be one very soon if he kept straining to break off the manacles.

The next second, the ex-human was crouching on the floor and stepped on his chain with a bare foot to gain some leverage in his futile effort to forcibly slip his hands trough the cuffs. The footsteps had stopped for a while but there was some muffled angry bickering behind the door.

"Good thinking Kiriyu, feel free to amputate yourself," Zero grunted a response and gave another tug. Hard. That got to hurt.

He admired Zero's hot-headed stubbornness but impulsiveness would get them nowhere. Wait, _them_? Aidou mentally smacked himself. The hunter would definitely not include him in his escape plans since Kiriyu Zero is the epitome of a murderous vampire hating hunter.

A few crunching followed by some sluicing sound made him sick. Then the hunter lowered his still shackled left hand to his side, controlled his breathing to fight off his agony and willing his face to take on his emotionless mask, eyes fiercely set on the metal door. Without a doubt that right hand was severely compromised, Aidou grimaced but the sheer will and determination scared him. "You're crazy," he hissed but Zero ignored him. The free but injured right one was now cradled tightly against his chest.

There was the barest flash of something Aidou could not catalogue as Zero straightened up smirking and took on an awkward offensive pose with his left hand was still bound to the floor. "Remember senpai, we need the bastard alive," he chuckled darkly. Before Aidou could utter a comeback, the heavy door swung open with a thunderous boom.

In a flurry of movements, Zero had somehow deactivated his restraints and engaged himself in attacking their captor. It seemed to be miraculously working too easily because after some not so efficient jabs and punches, the lumbering giant was sent crashing down onto the floor with a break-neck vicious drop kick.

Impressed, he caught the ex-human's warning glare before he moved in to kick the bastard repeatedly in the gut. Aidou knew Zero had cut the lights out off the guy but there was no such thing as overkill in his books. _One for making me care for Kiriyu for a millisecond, two for breaking my ribs, three for slicing me up, TEN for turning me into the first AIDOU to get vampknapped. _

Zero did nothing to stop him but his face was a picture of disgust. "That was far too easy," Aidou huffed, placing his right foot on _Mr. Ogre_'s windpipe. The name suits the ugly beast of a human, who cares if he borrowed it from Kiriyu. That same bastard had been the very one who hauled both of them in earlier. Maybe Kiriyu was simply caught off guard. As for him, he was too stupid for giving a damn about the vampire hunter and got his ass whooped.

"I said leave him alive, dimwit! He's human," Zero shouldered him aside and reaffixed the discarded manacles onto the unmoving body lying limp on his side.

"Oooh.. Sorry mister hunter, sir. I went on a trip to my dark side. Can't help it," he leered but ignored. Again.

"You're too soft. We need blood; he'll do just fine since it's a shame to let it go to waste. Just look at that puddle. Did you crack his head open?" It wasn't wise to rile Kiriyu but couldn't help it. He was ignored again. Aidou kicked the human lump one last time and gave up.

Zero rolled the man onto his back using his foot and prodded the pants pockets with his toes. "What are you doing?" Aidou raised an eyebrow.

"Not using my damn hands, obviously. You call yourself a genius?"

It was a queer but enticing sight, Zero giving his all to stay sane, teetering on the edge of his bloodlust, eyes stained red, barefoot, his hands hanging uselessly by his sides, shivering in the cold blast of ice. His tattered shirt had slipped off his shoulders, exposing the tightly sculpted muscles rippling under that pale luminous skin. Aidou wondered how it would feel under his fingertips. That bold tattoo on the right side of his neck was soiled by the red crusting blood from his head wound. The tantalizing smell of that exotic hunter wafted in the room enveloping Zero's steady heartbeat. If only he could get a taste of that neck. Just a little, he was so thirsty. Oh, he could try, if he wanted to have his head split open and brains splattered on the floor by one of those brutal kicks.

There was no warning when Zero yanked his chains roughly; forcing him to growl in protest and reminded him that he was not out of the mess yet. "So you do remember, get rid of these!" he barked indignantly, jangling the manacles in front of Zero's face.

The silver haired vampire hunter smirked "I don't trust you." He brandished a nasty looking boot knife and pressed the blade firmly against Aidou's jugular. How could he underestimate the hunter's paranoia? Aren't they all like that? _By the way, thanks for the knife, Mr. Ogre._

"See if I care, Kiriyu." He sighed and pushed Zero away from him, a bit too hard maybe because Zero staggered a few steps back. The blade nicked a millimetre into his skin and it stung. Hunter weapons sucks.

He let his face contort into pure disgust. "You could've just killed me if you truly think so," he spat. "Please stick that thing in me or stop the melodrama and get us out of here!" Aidou's patience was stretched thin. He wondered what had made Kiriyu Zero so special to the Kurans. Surely Kaname loathed him but the pureblood still tolerated the vile creature to the extent of sustaining his worthless life. The sacred blood of his revered leader was coursing in those filthy veins. He must have done it for Yuuki. Yes, Yuuki was a whole different story. Girls were always drawn to mysterious rebellious types all the time. Besides, Zero's surreal dangerous beauty was one thing to be seriously reckoned with. _Wait, did I just think he's.. what? Focus, Hanabusa._

"You're hurt Kiriyu. You need me as much as I need you this time," he tried to reason. "We need to do something, _now_!" Aidou held out his bound hands again. He could see some purple creeping back into those wary irises as they relaxed a notch, like a tamed animal. "I won't move unless you tell me to. I swear," he couldn't believe his own words. _Aidou Hanabusa, pleading? Why are my words sound so.. ugh! Never mind! __God, Kiriyu's so dead once I get out of this shit!_ The amused smirk on the other boy's face set his temper to boil. _Patience Hanabusa, suck it. Breathe._

Surprisingly, Zero complied, tentatively stepped closer and carefully touched the manacles with both hands, his blood dripped onto Aidou's open palms. The scent of those crimson droplets slammed into his senses and he could feel his fangs elongating. There was nothing human left in those veins. Nothing but a minuscule of his hunter heritage changed and mutated by the abundance of power that came with the purest blood of their kind; the two Kurans and his maker, Hiou. To his consternation, he wanted it and the vampire hunter knew.

The noble flinched as he saw those magnificent amethyst orbs searched his own, weighing his decision. He saw his own red tainted blue ones reflected back in them. They were rather too close for his comfort. Which vampire would be _comfortable_ having a capricious vampire hunter breathing down their neck? It was like challenging death into a duel. That placid face showed nothing but the eyes, the eyes had an eerie glint in them. Aidou shuddered.

He felt the metal warmed against his wrists before it came off clattering down onto the floor. "I _need_ you to move _now_, senpai," Zero smiled evilly at him before turning away and walked towards the unconscious lump of menace on the floor as his face burst aflame. _Did Mr. Popsickle just smile at me? Stop gaping, Hanabusa. You can kill him now, that fucking tease! Kill him! Kill him! Gaaahh!_

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OMG. OOC ness. What the heck? Bear with me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters._

**A/N: **Hi. I'm fast am I? A little short treat for you coz I think I won't be updating for a while. Will be stuck with work *groans*. By the way, despite of the lame new title, at this very moment, 181 of you guys has read the chapters, but still no reviews, just some new PMs inquiring about my real age.. What's that about? *laughs*. Nonetheless, thank you, I'm touched *bows*. Read away..

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**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 4

She had flung herself into his arms as soon as he stepped into the mansion. The old butler welcomed him with a deep respectful bow before taking the luggage away from Seiren's hands. Stroking the messy brown tresses, he noticed her red puffy eyes; resentment flamed in his veins. "Any news of him?" he asked.

She looked back up in dismay, "There is no news of them. What should we do, Kaname?" _Them_ she said, he gritted his teeth and pulled on his indifferent mask. Seiren had disappeared, her silent efficiency never ceased to amaze him.

Nobody would be reckless enough to harm Aidou, an heir from a prominent vampire family without dire consequences. But Kiriyu Zero was another whole different dimension. That impudent mouth of his alone will be enough to trigger his _termination_. "I'm sure things will be fine," he said with deliberate gentleness.

He was sure just because he could _feel_ the faint pulsing life of a certain silver haired vampire in his heart. Weak but stable. Kaname had never believed he had developed some kind of connection with the hunter after _donating_ his pure blood on a few _occasions_. Of course he could feel Yuuki too but it was natural because they had several exchanges from time to time. _Can she sense him like I do?_ Kiriyu Zero used to feed off her and she, _his_ paramour had always secretly pined for that dirty ex-human's blood since the day they officially parted. The day she had tainted herself with that lawfully forbidden life source; the blood of a hunter. _Would there be some sort of a link between them?_

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"Would you care to tell me _why_ exactly are we hanging around here, Kiriyu?" groused Aidou. They were currently holed up in a dank old office set on the first floor of the meat processing plant. Musty furniture and cobwebs told them that the place had long been abandoned. Huge letters painted in red spelling "MIDORI" was painted on the grey zinc walls. _No wonder they went out of business. Midori.. hah! Green meat, anyone?_

Aidou had called his father's head of security using a cell phone they found on the knocked out hunter. That was the only call he had been able to make before the battery was drained. He prayed Takahashi would get to that plant in the middle of nowhere soon because dawn was approaching, golden streaks of light were visible at the horizon. The plant was set deep in a forested area with a gravel road leading deeper into the hulking trees, no vehicles were found within the vicinity. Their captor had had not been working alone.

His internal clock was begging for the desperately needed rest but given the current scenario, it was not an option. Being stuck with Kiriyu Zero alone was a sizable risk to take given the Level-D was severely hurt and it will be only in a matter of time before he would drop to Level-E, jump him and tear off his throat in his bloodied craze. If Es were nasty to deal with, a hunter trained E would be catastrophic. _Come on, Takahashi. Get me out of here._

Although the assailant had been detained, he had yet to uncover the modus operandi of the whole thing. He and Kiriyu are two odd choices to be abducted. But to be killed, yes of course; in Zero's case. There are a bunch of people who wanted him dead of course. A vampire hunter is as dangerous as a caged tiger; he'll bite when he gets the chance. Not that he cared.

They had a good look at the man. Middle aged, dressed in no nonsense attire; a long dusty coat over a plaid shirt and dark pants. The weather beaten, grizzled face was unfamiliar to Zero. No documents to which Zero had laughed in his face citing that there was no villain stupid enough to carry Ids. How should he know? There was nothing special about Mr. Ogre apart from his imposing height and a crooked nose. He doesn't look anything like 'experienced' and 'cunning' as Kiriyu had previously warned. However, that mumbo-jumbo with the seals and spells Mr. Ogre deployed on him was something he had never seen before. Maybe he was good, but Kiriyu Zero was better and way much hotter. _Gaaah, no he's not! I hate Kiriyu! I hate Kiriyu Zero! I hate Ze.. No, no, no! I hate Mr. Bull-Headed-Impudent-Popsicle!_

After securing the bastard in the freezer, the vampire hunter decided to sit out in a corner of that small office space; his long legs stretched out on the dusty floor, arms hanging awkwardly by his sides while his face hidden beneath the long messy silver bangs. His lips were no longer blue from the chill.

Aidou had silently followed him up there; safety in numbers. Even there were only two of them. Hell, after watching the silver haired vampire's course of action in getting their asses out of the ice-box, that swift assault on Mr. Ogre, he made a deduction; Kiriyu Zero was the current potential danger and he was crazy enough to stick around the temperamental hunter.

Zero appeared to be sleeping but Aidou suspected otherwise. The boy was struggling to get his body under control. Without blood he needed time to heal. Although he had little experience with Level-Ds, he knew well enough that Ds succumbed to bloodlusts easier than the rest of them. He hoped Kiriyu Zero would pull through because Aidou could not afford to have a raving mad ex-human hunter chomping on his hide; not in his current weakened condition. He could not even freeze an ant. The hunter manacles had messed up his circuits.

The wretched gun, the Bloody Rose was nowhere to be found and to his delight, Zero was less threatening without his firearm. Bored and needing something to get his mind off his own thirst before help would arrive, he should try rousing Zero. Yes, thirst. The deep gash that lumbering oaf inflicted on him earlier was no joke. It had closed but left him sore but bruises were fading and so were those burns on his wrists. Lucky for him it was summer or else he would have frozen to death in his filthy torn shirt. God, he was bored. Perhaps he could tease _Mr. Popsicle_ a bit "Hey, are you still there?" No response. _Fine, try harder! _"Should I kiss you back to life?" crouching down by the passive figure, he deliberately dropped his voice lower, like the way those screaming fan girls back in Cross Academy were so crazy about.

It worked because Zero snapped his head back up, shoved Aidou away and sent his most lethal death-glare at him, "I certainly did not remember _inviting_ you to stay. Go away, princess!"

_Princess? _Satisfied with the reaction, he sneered while dusting himself up "Why, I certainly did not remember you regarding me in _that_ way, dear knight."

Aidou snickered as soon as Zero flushed bright red, jumped to his feet, turned away and cursed under his breath. _How cute was that? Wait.. I did not just say he was.. Gaaah! No way in hell. But he certainly was. Gaaahh! Stop it! Stop it! I hate hunters! I hate Kiriyu! I hate Kiriyu because he's damn rude, selfish, dirty, sexy, incorri.. What? Snap out of it, Hanabusa! Bad hormones, evil hormones, go away hormones!_

Fisting his hair, Aidou braved his eyes to study the silhouette of the other's bare luminous back; subconsciously admiring the strong sinewy muscles, that graceful neck begging to be ripped open and he realized it was the first time he saw so much skin on Kiriyu; to his ultimate horror, he liked it. He liked it, and imagined; doing all the possible things to get that beautiful being crushed, conquered and destroyed under his will.

He adored beauty but beauty that comes with a lower being deserves to be destroyed, he remembered the old teaching well. Forget the teaching; why not let his _nature_ decide? Kiriyu is an enemy, a hunter. Death by his noble hands would be condoned. But then he'll become one of those vampires that his revered pureblood abhorred. Curse his vampire hormones. _You're above that, Hanabusa. Kaname would scorn you to your grave. Figuratively of course, an urn will do just fine. _

"Seriously, there's no need for you here. My people could handle this from now. I'll personally make sure your superiors would be properly briefed on this incident," he paused when he noticed Zero's broad shoulders stiffened.

"Pick yourself up and go," Aidou tried his best to sound haughty like he was supposed to be plus he resented the faint twinge of concern lingering in his heart.

"Really, senpai?" the silver haired vampire turned to face him so fast sending plumes of dust swirling in the small space. Aidou coughed and clamped his mouth with his hand. "Refresh your memory a bit, blood-sucking genius. That bastard _argued_ with someone and I doubt it was the misus. Take that scum away with your rescue party quietly as I'm staking this place out. I have no time to deal with you. Don't get in my way," the piercing amethyst still held some red in them. They look so pretty like that. _I should pry them out and preserve in nitrogen freeze and give them to Kaname-sama as a trophy._ _Snap out of it Hanabusa!_ _Bad, bad, bad vampire!_

Then it turned into a staring match. The amethyst took on red again; anger crept into those alluring irises as if the silver haired vampire hunter had read Aidou's dark thoughts. The noble was just about to open his mouth with a sting when a shadow dropped down not more than three feet away from him from the high ceilings.

There was the glint of a long metallic blade. He jumped back and his eyes caught Zero brandishing the boot knife out to attack. His own senses flared in alarm and made a quick assessment of the newcomer.

Tall, lithe, a face that looks fortyish, a lower-class vampire. That was when he recognized the person. "Takashi! Kiriyu! Stand down, both of you!" he shouted but the hunter hissed and kept his stance. The sword was also brought into a slashing poise.

"Now!" he growled furiously at the two. The head of security reluctantly backed down; sheathing his katana upon the order but Zero remained on guard.

"He's one of my men, Kiriyu!" but Zero's lips took on an evil grin as he eyes the tall dark haired vampire, sizing him up.

Aidou wrung his hands, frustrated "Hell, you're so stupid! I. Know. Him. Put that thing away coz I'm getting out of here." However the vampire hunter still had his killer sights on Takahashi.

"Aidou-sama, master is waiting for your return. We must go,"

"One of your lackeys, senpai? " Zero stared intently at the suit clad Level-C, the knife still poised for an attack.

The vampire hunter searched Takahashi critically, a habit out of his training. Then he sneered "Of course, you're the Aidou's alpha Bloodhound. I've seen you around,"

"Seriously Kiriyu, you're nothing but another of those delusional hunter crack-heads. Let's go Takahashi. Instruct the others to extract that scum in the freezer," he ordered and the green eyed vampire who in turn, nodded in obedience "Yes, Aidou-sama."

"But do tell me, _Aidou-sama_. Are you sure _Taka-chan _is truly _your_ dog?" Zero leered disrespectfully.

Aidou fumed but he did notice a subtle twitch in Takahashi's composure. Better to trust his one of his own than a manic Level-D, "Shut up and just go, Kiriyu! I. Have. No. Patience for your games."

"You might want to listen to me, _professor_ as I think Takahashi here might have discovered the physics of teleportation," uttered Zero, wearing a mockingly earnest expression. Like a schoolboy lobbying for his teacher's approval. _God, he's delusional AND annoying. _

Sensing Aidou's mood, Zero pointed the tip of the knife at the still guard. "This hound arrived too swiftly, don't you agree?" the hunter snickered and gestured to a yellowing piece of paper lying innocently on the floor with a bony finger. There was some sort of an address printed boldly across it.

Aidou's brain went to work; there was some numbers; and he saw the connotation of Zero's rant. The postcode showed the place was at least 80 kilometres away from their hometown. In impossible distance to be covered within the minutes after his call for an extraction. Which means, _Takahasi had been there all the time_.

Seeing the mild panic in Aidou's eyes, Zero grinned smugly. "Unless, he's a pureblood in disguise," Zero punctuated his words by throwing the knife precisely into Takahashi's right kneecap. Howling, the Level-C caught Aidou violently by the shoulders and shoved the noble crashing into the nearest wall.

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_There's a forest fire in the neighbouring country. I'm a bit sick and the air's horrible. Stuck indoor coz my area got hit by heavy, heavy, foul smog. I may be agonizing but they must be suffering. Those poor souls. Hope it clears out soon. Take care and wear a mask if you're hit too._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 5

Yuuki's heart thumped wildly as she made her way swiftly towards the study not bothering to change out of her silk lavender nightgown. She liked the way the cool fabric brushed against her legs and the colour reminded her of _his_ eyes.

The soft slippers cushioned her hurried steps on the cool marble floors. Kaname had _requested_ for her to get some rest upon his arrival at the mansion hours ago and she had obligingly _complied_.

Initially, the dark haired pureblood prince took the news of Aidou's disappearance very calmly over the phone but seconds later, she could feel the dark undertone in his words. When he had arrived, it took her quite some time to figure out the oddity of his composure until that moment she broke down and cried before him. His handsome face held a subtle amount of grimness and the tone he used to send her back up to her room to retire had not been the least kind. Despite of his aloofness, Kuran Kaname can be read like an open book; he disapproved her concern towards Zero. She had to be more careful.

Dim light were spilling out from underneath the double doors of the study, the scent of the two familiar vampires that had aroused her from her troubled sleep earlier grew stronger. Kaname had beaten her to them. Their urgent voice was slightly muffled by the thick woods. Yuuki hid her presence as much as she can and stood by the door.

"But Kaname-same, the Aidou's were outraged with the Hunter Association's denial in this crisis. Something must be done," Ruka sounded angry.

"Calm down, Ruka. We have no solid proof of Kiriyu's connection," the calm, mellow voice undoubtedly belonged to Kain, Aidou's cousin.

Ruka must be furious because there were a few sharp clicks of heels hitting the hard flooring and a loud slam of palms beating wood, "His gun was found at the scene, Kain. That's proof."

"Enough," it was Kaname's voice, quite but commanding. Yuuki's had goose bumps, the two noble must be cowering under Kaname's dangerous aura. _Why is he so angry?_

Almost a minute later, Kain broke the painful silence, "Forgive us, Kaname-sama. Despite of who he is and his obvious dislike for Hanabusa, I do not believe Kiriyu has anything to do with Hanabusa's kidnapping."

In response, Kaname's bad mood escalated. Ruka inhaled sharply. Knowing her, she must be glaring daggers at the tall redhead furiously but he continued anyway, "Regardless of the implicating evidence, Hanabusa had not been shot with it,"

After a long pause, Kaname must have instructed Kain to go on, "The gun had been wiped clean of fingerprints, the security camera-feed had been sabotaged prior to the attack and there were traces of an unidentified human at the scene. Judging from the amount of blood spilled and traces of tissue and unique minerals at the car park, I believe Hanabusa had been subdued using hunter spells. There are a fraction of hunters that has that kind of skills but not Kiriyu,"

_Good work, Kain-senpai_. Yuuki smiled. However, her happiness was short-lived when she heard Kaname's irritated response, "So, you're taking Kiriyu Zero's side."

_What's wrong with that? _Yuuki nearly shouted from the hallway. Did Kaname hated Zero that much?

"I'm merely speaking from an objective point of view, Kaname-sama. Hanabusa's safety is my top priority but I'm not going to jump into preconceived assumptions and ignore the evidence," Kain's voice did not lose his composed diplomacy.

Surprisingly, Kaname's turbulent aura simmered down. "Well said, Kain. So, I was informed that you have a lead?"

"Yes, Kaname-sama. Takahashi, the head bodyguard deployed to investigate the case failed to report back to the house about two hours ago. He is highly reliable and had served the Aidous for decades. This kind of delinquency has never occurred before,"

Yuuki noticed the faint sound of fingers drumming against wood, which was an oddly anxious gesture on Kaname's part. Her brows knitted weighing the possibility of an inside job. As far as she knew, no ransom had been demanded from the wealthy Aidous. Plus, there was Zero. Why would anyone wanted to implicate the vampire hunter? She pressed her right ear to the thick white painted door.

"Kain, inform Seiren of Takahashi's last whereabouts. Then, go to Cross Kaien. Find out the hunter's course of action," he was standing up from the leather chair. The metal wheels squeaked in protest. She could hear Kain and Ruka readying themselves to go. "And Ruka, tell Yuuki to get herself ready to accompany me while you're on your way out,"

"O.. of course, Kaname-sama," Ruka stammered, clearly confused.

Yuuki felt blood exiting her brain and bit her bottom lip in regret. _I'm so... busted._ She sighed.

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Aidou hit the mouldy drywall with sickening crash, breaking in a huge hole and sent choking powdered gypsum all over the place. He groaned painfully and struggled to get up from the debris of broken furniture and crumbling walls.

Zero watched the dark haired vampire unsheathe his weapon, reached down to his knee with the other hand and yanked the knife out, sending it clattering at Aidou's direction. Blood spurted from the wound, elevating Zero's bloodlust into a whole new dimension. His fangs protruded from his lips.

The Level-C licked his own blood coated fingers and snarled at Zero, "Worthless E shit!"

Zero dodged the first slash and distanced himself from the vampire. He noticed Aidou had gotten back onto his feet and grabbed the discarded boot knife. The metal immediately burned his skin.

"I want him alive, Kiriyu!" warned Aidou. The vampire hunter said nothing, preoccupied staying out of Takahashi's hacking radius. Although Zero's movement were a bit sluggish, the bodyguard's footwork were messy thanks to the injured knee.

Takahashi glowered and lunged forward for another ungraceful round of slashing. Zero wove around dodging the blade but the bodyguard had managed to kick him in the stomach and sent him flying into a rusty filing cabinet with a thunderous crash.

In the corner, Aidou held his breath as Zero tried to stand but doubled over in pain, coughing up blood. Then, the blade came back swinging at him. To Aidou's panic, Zero failed to move. The blond gritted his teeth and anticipated the blow. _Kiss your sorry ass goodbye, Kiriyu Zero._

Growling like a trapped animal, the ex-human crossed his forearms out in front of him as his last defense, hoping it will somehow block the sword from his torso. All of the sudden, yellow streaked before his eyes and he heard the Level-C howl, the boot knife was embedded deeply in the vampire's right shoulder. _Aidou!_ Zero saw the noble staggered back, the katana stuck grotesquely out of his stomach. Aidou must have came in between them, stabbed Takahashi but got skewered along the way. _Stupid, airhead!_

"Great, now turn to fairy dust, you pigheaded princess!" he growled, closing into Takahashi and grabbed the protruding hilt. Racking his brains, he recited an old verse Ichiru used to practice over and over again during their childhood while channelling his energy into the knife.

Takahashi's eyes rolled back and he crumpled down to the filthy wooden floor. The low-level assault had actually worked. Zero was not particularly gifted with those sorts of methods but it was Ichiru's favourite, the paralysing spell. His sickly twin used to spend his bedridden hours memorizing and reciting those kind of things, and if Ichiru's bragging was right, the Bloodhound would be out for a few hours. It was not too complicated but it does require a weapon being sunk into vampire flesh and Aidou had helped him by doing just that. _Shit, Aidou!_

The air was thick with the scent of blood. Aidou lay on his side in a pool of crimson, eyes tightly closed and grimacing as he tried unsuccessfully to pull out the katana. His palms bled as he gripped the razor sharp blade and tugged weakly. It was not an anti-vampire weapon, Aidou wouldn't die from the stab alone but the noble will bleed to death if he can't get the blade out on time. _What a pathetic waste, but at least he's still conscious._

Zero stepped closer, feeling the warm blood slippery beneath his bare feet as he crouched beside the blond, "You pulled a very stupid stunt, senpai."

He assessed the injury. It was bad. The blond had been skewered through and through. _Let the vampire be. Just watch the wretched scum die, Zero, s_aid a voice from the dark recess of his mind. Aidou coughed up blood, whimpering in pain as tried to curl into a foetal position. Aidou shifted his head towards him, that aquiline face was marred with blood and grime; Zero observed the blue eyes glaze and lose its focus.

He could feel the demon inside him trashing against the invisible bars he had tirelessly enforced. However, he felt his bloodlust grow stronger and his control over his mind slipping. His hands had grown into talons. Aidou shrank back, whimpered and stared at him in horror. Zero didn't need mirrors to know his eyes were flaring red, fangs hanging out of his lips, and angry veins bulged beneath his skin. He was approaching his limits.

The blond let out a strangled cry when Zero settled his left hand on Aidou's hip and gripped the katana with the other. "However, don't expect me to thank you," he said to Aidou's ear, not recognizing the metallic tone in his own voice. The silver haired hunter held his breath and swiftly pulled the blade out.

Aidou screamed out in agony before blackness swallowed him.

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She had been uncharacteristically silent during the long ride to Kiriyu's place. The graceful fingers fisted her lilac cotton knee-length dress for the eighteenth times, crinkling the fabric into a crumpled mess. Her pristine white kitten-heeled shoes contrasted against the dark burgundy carpeting.

Kaname reached out to brush her long brown locks away from her face but she shrank back from his touch. The small reaction pained him.

Hurt, he combed his fingers through his own longish brown hair in quiet frustration. He had been sorting out his feelings in regard of the incident. In reality, he was worried for the two missing vampires and he did not like it at all.

At first he was unsure of how he should react to the news, to Yuuki's distress but, when he felt the first pang of jealousy after discovering the real reason of Yuuki's anxiety, he figured put he had found the perfect mask to wear in front of her. The truth was he was angry. Angry at whoever was responsible snatching his favourite pawns away. Well, Aidou Hanabusa was the pawn; Kiriyu Zero was a whole different category. He was _his_ toy, a live moving, interactive, breathtakingly beautiful unique doll for him to manipulate. Thinking about the kidnapping was enough to make him feel homicidal.

It must have shown on his face or his slip in controlling his aura because she immediately stiffened, and looked nervously out of the window; pretending to be captivated with the shifting white clouds, gracing the clear blue skies. Yuuki truly did love the day time. Often, she had compared him to the blazing sun; he was her light, she said one day in her dreamy schoolgirl monologue, her source of life and her reason to tread the earth. Kaname had looked at her unbelievingly before she blushed deep red and whacked him not too gently with her book. Just, trust adorable little Yuuki to come out with such cutesy corny ideals.

He studied her slightly haggard face reflected in the black tinted window. There was no need to guess what goes in her mind, of what she was thinking; it was evident even in the colour of her dress. It was the same colour that reminds him of that vile amethyst eyed creature. _His_ vile amethyst eyed creature. Kaname came to an abrupt fullstop, his own conclusion surprised him. Was he not mad at Kiriyu for worrying Yuuki?

Pushing his battles away, Kaname gazed at the petite vampire beside him, "Why won't you look at me, my love?" he placed his fingers under her chin and gently tilted her head so he could peer into her magnificent eyes. The reddish brown pools swirled with emotions and for a while, he resented their expressiveness. _Will you feel the same for me, Yuuki?_

She surprised him by carefully wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her petal lips. Her eyes closed as she kissed him softly, the chastity of the contact was tearing him up. There were no warmth, only the reassurance that she was there, present, right before him. Her heart, which he has always had securely tied down to his own had temporarily departed to reach out to _him_. And she was letting him know.

"You're so cruel, Yuuki," he whispered into the delicate shell of her left ear. Her pulse quickened as he bent down to plant butterfly kissed on her delicate neck. She shuddered when he encircled her small waist and kissed her urgently. She moaned when he held and pulled her closer, touching her the way he knew she liked best; feeling her sweet warmth radiating against him.

Kaname bit her bottom lip lightly, she parted them and he seized the opportunity to deepen the kiss, savouring her taste, a swirl of vanilla and berries, rememorizing every terrain of the soft palette; reminding her that she belonged to him and only him. She hummed her appreciation and reciprocated his ministrations.

Yuuki had slipped her hands under his light jacket; the gentle digits caressed his torso, worshipping the perfect planes of his chest and his strongly muscled back. He gripped her waist, angling her so she could sit across his lap, straddling him. The silky caresses felt so right against his white silk shirt, she was on the right path to his undoing.

Suddenly, she stopped. The limousine made a right turn and gradually slowed down._ How did you know Yuuki? Have you been here before?_ He closed his eyes in painful frustration and heard her bubbly giggle. She cupped both sides of his face adoringly to kiss his forehead.

Yuuki shuffled back to her seat, Kaname missed her comfortable weight immediately. Her small fingers smoothed out his tousled hair causing him to sigh. "I promise I'll make it up to you once all of this is over," she whispered in his ear, blowing pleasantly warm air against it. "And I'll grant your every single wish," she said the words so softly, pleading him to understand, "Even if it breaks me."

He snapped his eyes open staring at Yuuki who immediately opened the car door with an unusual grace and stepped onto the sidewalk. She looked up wistfully at the dilapidated red brick building before turning to gaze back at him. Her intricately embroidered lilac skirt billowed in the balmy wind. Her face was a picture of poised calm, waiting for him to join her; she didn't even smile at him like she always does.

0000000000

He could not see anything. It was so dark and it hurts. It just hurts.

"Senpai!" somebody shouted. Then, his dark world shook back and forth. He groaned.

Sharp bony fingers were gripping his jaw too roughly. Then he felt his face being slapped. _Ouch, let me sleep, stupid!_

He must have said his thought out loud because the bony fingers pried his eye open and he heard the angry hiss "Sure princess, go to sleep and die!" There are two red dots in the big white blob obscuring his vision. _I'm a boy, who are you calling a princess? Damn faggot._ Then, it was gone.

"Impressive mouth for a dead leech," the voice grumbled. Aidou strained to open his eyes. However, the blackness continued to envelope him. He was fading.

"Fuck, I'm too soft," his ears strained to identify the voice before his world shifted and tilted again. So annoying, can't he get some rest. His stomach felt like it had been ripped out, minced and stuffed back in.

He heard some shuffling of movements followed by the friction of something being dragged. Disorientated, his mouth was pressed against something cold and clammy. A warm pungent liquid filled his mouth and invaded his throat. _Disgusting. _He spat it all out. The aftertaste made him wanted to heave.

The bones hit his face again, "Hell, princess! Do you know that you're half dead? Spoiled, picky, ungrateful girly boy!" The voice growled. _Who wants poison? Leave me alone._

Moments later, his nose picked up a pleasantly nice smell. Something dripped on his lips, seeping past them and rolled on his tongue. Moaning, he opened his mouth and he was rewarded with more in thick rivulets. It was sweet with a hint of spiciness. Light was starting to flood his vision, a fraction of the thrumming pain he was feeling earlier faded, and then suddenly to his anguish, it ceased to flow.

Aidou clawed blindly for the source of that delectable nourishment. _Blood, give it to me!_ He saw the bleary outline of the source of his bliss collapsing down not too far away. The faint thumps of a heart beating sluggishly drew him on like a beacon. _Don't stop, I'm coming for more._

"You better not remember this afterwards, or I'll fucking come back and kill you," that familiar voice rasped at the same time as he pounced, and then instinctively sank his fangs in that yielding flesh.

* * *

**Extra long A/N: **Thank you k1216 (I'm glad you liked Zero and Aidou without the horizontal tango action) and Bluebird (I have to agree with you, Zero is an adorable bad boy *hugs*)

The number of hits spurred me to work harder. Edit, edit, edit. I know I should release the upcoming chapters faster so we could get on with The Black Iris but I'm sort of busy, busy, and busy plus, I'm running a slight fever. Ughhh.. the weather's really bad. *cough*

I may be a bit busy (and sick) lately but I sure did monitor the story traffic. The verdict, there are tons of ZeKa fans (coz the other story; The Black Iris literally EXPLODED with 247 hits within 24 hours) out there compared to ZeroAidou. Yeah, I'm a freak, I like to analize the statistics. Approximately, 70% of you readers alone are from the States and the UK and that scares me (be kind to me.. native speakers) .

I didn't really check this chapter as thoroughly as I usually do because I didn't really enjoy writing about Kaname-Yuuki. I'm a ZeKa fangirl trough and trough; the half-heartedness is apparent in the writing but it's necassary for later. In short, I hate Chapter 5 and I understand if you people nuke me. (;_;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 6

"Zero..."

"Hurry, Zero... I don't want to miss it..."

His limbs were as heavy as lead. He was breathing hard, jogging alongside of another person. _It doesn't make any sense._

"Come on, run faster.. I thought _I_ was the weak one," a small frail hand caught his, pulling him on running at a faster pace. _Who are you? _

He glanced at his companion, a young boy around ten, eleven? No, he couldn't tell. Brats are still brats after all. It was dark and they were cutting through a desolated pebbled path in some park. Was it a park? He couldn't really tell. It must be, because wooden benches and flower beds are _park things_ right? _Darn, it's so hot... Where the hell am I?_

They had stopped sprinting, gradually slowing down into brisk strides as soon as they skirted the path. Twigs and dry leaved crunched under his black steel-toed boots throughout the steady uphill climb. _What an odd choice of footwear._

Somehow his feet knew where they were going and kept up with the panting, light haired boy. The other pale hand was clutching at the front of the olive green T-shirt. Unlike him, his companion wore plain white sneakers and was not lugging any heavy duffel bag on his back. The boy had a slight pungent chemical smell lingering around him, like antiseptics and hospitals.

"We're here!" the boy exclaimed. "Don't start complaining and ruin the moment, Zero. I'm fine," his exotically coloured eyes shone in excitement, breathing harshly as they stopped at the edge of a high cliff overlooking a picturesque view of a small town. _Why are you calling me by that name? _

"Just look at the view!" the boy exclaimed, spreading his arms theatrically as if to gather the caressing night breeze into his embrace. "It's so pretty, even lovelier than thine eyes I love. No, I take it back, naught can surpass your magnificence," he wanted to laugh at the silliness of those words but instead of teasing the silver haired aspiring thespian, he involuntarily stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder beside him. They must have had the same height because they fitted perfectly when the boy meshed them together and laughed quietly. It was awkward on his part but the boy seemed to like the closeness of the contact, so he bears with it.

Nevertheless, the boy was right about the view, light shone through hundreds of quaint windows, illuminating the streets which were bustling with festivities. Multi-coloured paper lanterns hung from electrical poles, giving away a soft glowing ambience. The townsfolk were like colourful dots making their way westwards towards a Shinto shrine erected on a hilltop. Although, crickets and cicadas drowned the human din in the distance, he could still feel the energy washing over him.

Instantly, he was pulled down to sit on the soft green grass, his duffle strap fell off his shoulder when the bag hit the ground with a thump. The boy frowned at him. "Hey, where did Tomohisa-sensei drag you this time? It's no fun being stuck alone with Yagari-sensei. You're barely home these days, Zero. Why do you need another teacher anyway?" he whined.

He saw those eyes again, they were like amethysts. He knew those eyes. _Why are you calling me Zero? I'm not..You are.. _But his voice didn't come out.

"And I hate it when he hurts you," the boy choked out in between his laborious breathing; there were tears in those striking orbs. _Hurt?_ Strangely, he felt his own chest tightening and blood draining out of his brain. The feeling was similar to those times he was caught doing something worth angering Kaname-sama. But this time, it was not _his_ distress.

Almost trembling, his hands had moved to reach out and wipe off a straying teardrop on the boy's cheek, and then he heard himself spoke "It's not like that. He took me out to the northern outpost to.. To train." He recognized the nuance in _his_ voice from somewhere before but.. Was it _fear_ accidently woven in those words?

The boy lunged forward, grabbed his right arm roughly, and tore off the cuff buttons in the process of yanking the stiff cotton shirtsleeve up. "Then why he did this to you?" the boy shouted in frustration.

Panic seared across his heart, he stared down at the rope burns around his wrist. Ugly welts criss-crossed marring the pale skin of his inner forearm. _When did I get this? _Again, his body moved on its own, yanking the appendage away and hid the hideous marks by pulling down the sleeve as much as he can.

The boy launched himself at him, slamming all of his bodyweight, tackling him down onto the grass and embraced him too tightly. "Don't hate me, Zero! I'm so sorry," the front of his light blue shirt was getting wet. "He's so mean and I can't do anything to stop him. I'm weak. Please, don't leave me,"

The sky lit up with a burst of colourful fireworks. "I'm not going anywhere, Ichiru." His fingers buried themselves in the soft silvery hair and he found himself humming an unfamiliar tune to comfort the stricken boy. He had called the boy "Ichiru". So, he was with the Kiriyu twins, he realized belatedly. In some way, he was seeing an enactment of their past from Zero's standpoint.

Strangely, he had never believed the twins were close. Because, if he was not mistaken it was the younger twin who had lent a hand in the destruction of his own family. He had his sources. _But why am I seeing all this? _

His eyes closed as he hugged the other boy lying on top of him. "I love you, Zero," it was the last thing he heard before his vision was flooded with the blinding colourful burst of light illuminating the night.

The next moment, his vision focused on a pair of bare feet surrounded by flowing silk. There was a faint tinkle of a bell when the feet moved away. The little boy was gone. Paralysed, he couldn't feel anything, he couldn't breathe, and he couldn't hear the words being said by a familiar silver haired boy standing by the open door.

A familiar scent flooded his senses, there was too much of it. After straining to get his vision into focus, his stomach churned upon settling his eyes on the bloodied carnage in the room. Two bodies, a man and a woman were sprawled in awkward angles, bathed in pools of their own blood. A fragment of whitish spine chord protruded from a horrendous slit in the woman's throat. Blood leaked slowly from the gash seeping in-between the varnished floorboards. He didn't dare to cast his eyes on the man. Deep down, he was sure the man and the woman meant something.

_It hurts so much I can't move. S_till_, _the magnitude of anguish he was experiencing overrides the searing pain on the left side of his neck. Soon enough, the helplessness was replaced by simpering hatred as soon as then tall woman with beautiful silvery white hair glanced spitefully at him. She then walked after the smirking boy out of the room. _That's her! _The kimono clad, blood drenched female slaughterer undoubtedly was Hiou Shizuka. _God, those are Kiriyu's parents!_

The ghastly images faded as fast as it started and he woke up in a dank room filled with strange looking weapons hanging off the walls. Axes, guns, chains and knives of all sort and sizes made a menacing picture in the dim light. He was securely strapped down to a wooden chair and he could sense another presence in there with him.

"I'm truly disappointed in you dear boy..." somebody was whispering near his ear. He was hurting and he recognized the cause all too well; bloodlust. The left side of his neck stung like it had been punctured and pierced over and over again. _Shit, even my ears hurt... _His shirt was streaked with horrid red.

A hand yanked his head back forcefully, and then he stared into a pair of fiery amber eyes. Their intensity bothered him. "It was rather discourteous don't you think? Choosing a stranger as your guardian when _you knew_ you could have simply come to me..." strong fingers gripped his chin cruelly when he tried to look away. He was afraid, cold fear were slowly creeping and coiling around his heart. _What's going on?_

"How could you push me away?" a disgustingly wet tongue licked the column of his throat all the way up to his cheek, stopping there as the voice spoke again, "You ran away even though _you knew_ that you're my favourite.." a mouth sealed his in a brutal kiss. _Get the hell off me!_

Then it was gone, replaced by small hands thumping against his chest, "Zero, Stop being mean to Kaname-sama!" He smacked them away. Heated jealousy slithered and coiled in his stomach. _What now?_

He was no longer being strapped down in that room but somewhere cosier and homely. Delicious smell of freshly baked cookies wafted in the space. He was beginning to dread these changing scenes, it confuses him.

It was some sort of an old kitchen. _A kitchen won't be dangerous, right? Or comes with a pervert._

"I don't get it Zero. People say good cooks have big, soft caring hearts but you never give up acting like a terrible, terrible, terribly mean goblin," a little girl with big brown eyes pinched him hard on the arm while munching on a heart shaped cookie. _Great, another snivelling brat. Here we go again. _He groaned inwardly.

"I _am_ one. Here, eat another one and grow fatter. See if your _Kaname-sama_ still likes you then" again, his body moved on its own and stuffed a piece of cookie in her already full mouth. "And don't inhale your food," he heard his sneer when she spluttered and choked. She comically downed a glass of water in one continuous gulp. _Oh my God, it's Yuuki-sama._

A low airy laughter reached his ears and he spun around, homing on the source. A boy with dark brown hair was smiling secretively at them while sipping something from his cup. _Huh, Kaname-sama? _He was turning away, and to his horror, he was blushing. _What the hell is happening? I'm not me, its Kiriyu; this doesn't make any sense._

The scene changed again, he was walking in some sort of a passageway made of old granite, carrying something limp and heavy in his arms; _someone_ limp and heavy to be precise. There were no sign of life. Sadness, despair, remorse, and rage were breaking over his core like a giant oceanic swell. _I'm not the one feeling all this._ He reminded himself.

There were piles of rubble in the distance, smoke and dust filled the starless night air. Something about the picture of destruction seemed familiar to him. He had been there too. When he glanced down at the lifeless body, cataloguing the longish silver hair falling over the still but familiar face; he knew that person. _Kiriyu Zero?_ _No, it's minus the tattoo and the juvenile piercings_. He recognized the person at once; Kiriyu Ichiru_._ This was the night Kuran Rido's games came to a catalytic end. _And also the episode which Kiriyu Zero lost his twin._

He had made it outside. A creeping feeling of being watched made him lift his head up and locked eyes with none other than the Kuran siblings. Strangely, he had felt nothing, just cold numbing nothingness as he shifted his gaze from a forlorn Kuran Yuuki to the unsympathetic Kuran Kaname. The cold unfeeling eyes had torn out his soul. _Yes, but why does it upsets you Kiriyu? You despised him too._

Images took over, he saw Shizuka's smiling sinisterly and heard her metallic bell tinkled when she turn to disappear, replaced by a tear stricken Yuuki. As if she was pleading, her silent words never reached his ears but he smelt it tasted it, her powerful blood and then the vision of her blurred. There was that hot amber eyes again which ignited reminiscences of terror and pain. They too slipped away and a hand reached out from the dark abyss. It wrapped around his windpipe, crushing it as a pair of reddish brown eyes appeared. He can identify them anywhere, it was Kuran Kaname; angry and determined. Suffocating red flooded in, drowning him.

Then, another hand clawed at his collar and yanked him down to peer down at the still face of Kiriyu Ichiru. He was holding the cold corpse again. All of the sudden, the eyes snapped opened; red veins marred the brilliantly angry amethyst and he let the body go. Standing up, Kiriyu Ichiru advanced towards him. He was no longer Kiriyu Zero because he saw the vampire hunter walking away, vanishing into the shadows.

The stiff hands caught him by the arms, pulling him so close to the now decaying face before he heard the dead human shell snarl, "Release him!"

Then he was shoved off the cliff overlooking the shimmering townscape. Fireworks blinded his eyes at the same time as he touched the hard packed earth, skidding uncontrollably before crashing back into reality.

He could smell danger. As soon as his vision cleared, he saw those sharp amber eyes boring into his soul. Those eyes belonged to a human and that very human had his hands wrapped dangerously around his throat, cutting off his air supply. Too bad that was not enough to kill him. Which twisted demon had granted Kiriyu's phantom permission to follow him back out? _Speaking of that damned Kiriyu... Where the heck is he? What the hell had happened?_

"That would be enough. The E's still alive." Somebody had spoken from the shadows of the room. He was back at that Midori place again. There was a strangely pleasant taste in his mouth. He knew he had done something bad. But what was it? He couldn't remember. The strange fleeting images still lingers in his mind.

The amber eyes narrowed and pulled back, giving him the full access to the man's features. He was about forty, rather tall, light haired and of course, human. Odd, he had never seen him before but those freaky cat eyes are familiar. _Come on Hanabusa, boot up your brain already. Focus, focus, focus! There are at least two of them. Where the hell is Kiriyu? Which E is still alive? Who would care if an E's alive? Stupid imbeciles!_

Before he could react, the man grappled him down, pushing his face against the rough, dirty wooden floor boardsand snapped his wrists into some sort of metal cuffs. It burned him immediately. _Fuck, not hunters again! I'm so screwed.._ A merciless kick to his midsection flipped him viciously onto his back. _Great, deepen that cursed hole in my gut. _

The amber eyed man sneered at his confused expression when he realized that he was no longer bleeding _there_. "Just like magic, huh? One moment you're becoming extinct, the next moment you're fine... Can't you remember anything you've done, mangy bloodsucker?"

The man yanked him up by the hair, forcing him to sit up in a kneeling position to which he growled defiantly, earning a tight slap across his face, splitting his bottom lip. That moment, he saw Kiriyu's still figure and another person crouching down beside him.

Like the tall amber eyed cat, he too was wearing a black business suit and a slim black tie. "Hey, haul that useless Takahashi over here. It's time for this blond brat to pay back his dues," said the hunter. The other one with light brown hair and gave him a quick affirmative nod and walked over to another motionless body beside Kiriyu. He didn't need to see the face to notice something about the other one; he was a noble class vampire like him. _What the hell? Hunters and vampires just don't work together. _Something deep in the pit of his stomach told him that both of them meant deep trouble.

The noble unceremoniously dragged the unconscious Takahashi by an arm across the floor. The sleeve on that arm was torn away and there was some blood still seeping out of some jagged claw marks on the inner arm.

"It was quite a scene you know... I can't believe a hunter could go that far for a worthless bloodsucker," the hand gripping his hair was unusually strong for a human. "First, he tried to save you by forcing Takahashi's blood down your throat. But obviously it's not up to your taste." _Yeah, I must have spat it all out... Oh my God.. Kiriyu!_ Aidou remembered.

"_Hell, princess! Do you know that you're half dead? Spoiled, ungrateful girly boy!"_

Kiriyu must have fed him Takahashi's blood to help him recover. But he had rejected that vile, pungent red liquid.

Aidou's mind burst out in mortification. He had drunk from Kiriyu instead; his grievous wound had healed so he must have taken a lot, which also explains the strange visions earlier. Those were not hallucinations. Those were fragments of the vampire hunter's memories that had slipped into the blood he had stolen. _I've drank the blood of a hunter. It's as taboo as drinking from a pureblood. Oh, I'm so dead. _

And those amber eyes, that vision in the weapon filled room seeped into his mind again and the cold fear Kiriyu had remembered all of it at once. _What heck really happened in there?_ The name.. He had a name. Kiriyu Zero had felt the same cold fear when his twin brother said it in those memories.

"Tomohisa.." he hissed it aloud.

He must have been right because the amber eyes widened momentarily before turning to pure disgust. They had propped Takahasi up half sitting, half lying against the nearby wall. "Now, you shall drain Takahashi dry and then revive _my_ Zero." Aidou had failed to notice the real colour of that light shoulder length hair before. It was silver, the same shade of silver like Kiriyu's.

"Sure, when hell freezes over..." he knew exactly the hunter was implying and judging from the state of his already healed injuries, the Kiriyu must have done nothing to stop him from overfeeding earlier.

"_You better not remember this afterwards, or I'll fucking come back and kill you,"_ Kiriyu's words resonated against the walls of his mind.

_Come back... so he said._ If Kiriyu had wished to find a way out of his pathetic life, he was not going be the one to bring him back.

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: **_Too much to do and too little time. There are tons of mistakes... I'm sure. (.)_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 7

If Yuuki was expecting a battlefield, she had been sorely disappointed. There were no signs of the hunters or vampires within the vicinity of the small apartment; it must have been combed trough for clues. According to Akatsuki, they had found nothing but there were some lingering scent of blood by the door. It did not interest the vampires. Kiriyu was the main suspect in Aidou's disappearance so they dismissed it as something of no importance. Besides, the silver haired boy was a vampire hunter, injuries and blood spills does come with the job.

At the moment, Yuuki had paused by the door and immediately searched the area. Then she motioned for him to come closer as she knelt down studying the old creaky floorboards. The poor lighting hid the stain well. Although somebody had made an effort to erase it, there were still blotches of blood in between the coarse grains. The vampire's sent by the Aidou's had caught it too because they certainly had lingered at the spot and should have been able to guess to whom had it belonged to because there was nothing human about the scent.

"I wonder if the hunters noticed. Perhaps Aidou-senpai's men did but I doubt it was them who cleaned it," she said dryly, prodding the old wood with her fingers. Her long brown hair cascaded around her like a veil. "Most probably they didn't. Not without our noses," she sighed while trying to pull her hair back. Kaname sighed inwardly. The hunter's wouldn't even care for a vampire, even one that was once one from a distinguished bloodline. They wouldn't bat an eye if they had to put a bullet into Kiriyu Zero. It was the pressure from the Aidous or maybe Cross and Yagari that made them scour the place. He doubted those hot headed genetically spiked mules found anything.

"You know how Aidou-senpai loves to show off his talents.. Just the other day, he taught me something that may come in handy in times like these." She piped while examining the floor as it was valuable specimen.

Kaname watched her manipulate her hands into talons and pulled out the foot long board in one swift motion. "It was during the_ 'Embracing Our Beasts within Class'_ or so he called it," she chuckled sardonically while plucking out the long rusty nails off the corners like they were pins. It was like watching a child taking her first steps, it enthralled him but he refused to let it show. Aidou had done well teaching such _skills _to her. The years living with Cross humanized her tremendously so, Yuuki was not an easy student when it comes to subjects concerning her true vampire nature. Leave it to Aidou to come up with such effectively silly teaching methods.

Yuuki was right; the underside of the plank was smeared with the coagulated remains of that dirty Level-D. If it wasn't for Yuuki, he would have loved to burn that contaminated thing into cinders. She had sensed his irritation and smiled at him apologetically before setting the timber to one side.

Kaname did not show any reaction, or voiced his curiosity regarding the piece of wood she had carefully wrapped with her white silk shawl, held it close to her and signalled him to follow into the apartment. Secretly, he was intrigued by her antics, leaving her to continue with her perusal. The meek, melancholic shroud she had worn in the months after her transformation was slowly dissipating and replaced by the old determined vigour he had so admired during the time they were at Cross Academy.

She twisted the doorknob and grinned mischievously at him as she broke the brass contraption off. It seemed that she liked her new capabilities. Perhaps she did, like a plain human suddenly bestowed with superpowers. People usually like that sort of things, a gift to change their fate. There were even movies made using that theme. Somehow a certain miserly silver haired soul did not see his fortune.

Kaname followed her into the small room. Nothing was out of the ordinary apart from signs that it had been ransacked and combed for clues. The air was thick with the presence of both hunters and vampires and there were faint scent of that missing impudent creature clinging to every piece of spartan furniture he owned. Everything from the overturned bed, the paper scattered desk, the clothes strewn on the floor, the open bureau drawers and even the flimsy curtains; all smelled like him. He lived there. This was his. He felt strange as he had used the past tense to think of him. It was like the vampire hunter was never going to come back. The heaviness tugging at his heart as he thought of it irritated him. It irritated him greatly because he was supposed to destroy the filthy creature by letting the mess escalate by doing nothing and instead he was clandestinely encouraging Yuuki to devise her own plans of rescue just because he could not. She had a solid reason to be concerned and he did not. So, he would watch.

Yuuki moved towards the desk placed by the window and sifted through the papers. Then she picked up a particular piece and brought her right hand to cover her mouth, stifling her anguished cry. She was going to break down again. It was an old picture. Cross had his arms around a young perkily smiling Yuuki and murderously scowling Kiriyu. Kaname remembered that time; it was the second month after Kiriyu had been brought to the odd household and a few weeks after the table knife stab incident. It was him who had snapped that particular picture, to which he had reluctantly agreed to after Cross's persistent whining to commemorate the new addition to his family. Yuuki had been elated but he could not say the same goes to Kiriyu.

It surprised him because Kiriyu had kept that particular picture. Maybe it was the only picture taken when he was still mostly human. He had the taming tattoo etched onto his neck several months afterwards. Maybe it was to remind him of his goal to kill Kuran Kaname. That look on his face was purely directed to him, a pure blooded vampire he loathed playing the family friend behind the camera lens. _I'll destroy you_, which were what those amethyst eyes had said.

Kaname plucked the picture away from her quivering hand and tucked it into his coat pocket. She looked horrified. "I'll hold on to this for you until you can return it to him yourself," he reassured her.

"Aren't you angry?" she said, wiping her unshed tears away.

Kaname managed to give her a wan smile and reached out to tuck a stray strand of her long silky brown hair behind her ear. "This will be an education, the introduction to our dark and twisted world," he spoke as kindly as he could. "Instead of anger, I should feel proud on account of your determination. Although, it is regretful that we the pure bloods ourselves have to soil our very hands in this matter."

"There is more to their disappearance, Kaname. I ask for you to understand. I'm worried about senpai and _him_ too," she lowered her head, hiding her face away.

_So she was concerned of my wrath._ He chuckled, making her snapped her eyes disbelievingly back up at him, "I'll hold on to my word, Yuuki. An education, I'll be your teacher this time. Show me all you had learned during the times I was away and don't hesitate to say _his_ name in my presence."

"But, why?" she was gripping the blood soaked wood even tighter to her chest.

"I shall not deny that I loathed him," he said to her bluntly and she nervously averted her eyes again. "But, my love for you outweighs my sentiment. He was once a part of your family and that's enough to make him infinitesimally tolerable. So, let us not linger on petty things since time is precious,"

She nodded in agreement, "Yes, let's not waste time." Her smiles warmed up his heart, "And thank you." She embraced him, pressing the horridly disturbing piece of wood between them.

"Seriously, stealth could be a curse sometimes. My eyes are tainted," a sarcastic voice startled them and in response they turned towards a bored looking tall redhead leaning against the doorframe.

Yuuki broke away from him and confronted the hunter. She was calm, but Kaname could sense her impatience. "I did not call you Takamiya-san."

"Yes, you reached out to the President Cross but too bad he's caught up in the bureaucratic things," the hunter straightened himself up and sauntered casually over towards them. "So, he sent me,"

Kaname studied the green-eyed man who had slipped through his senses. Only one of the top notched hunters was able to do that and it angered yet relieved him at the same time because Takamiya Kaito was bound to be as annoying rude as Kiriyu but reliable and trustworthy enough to be sent by Cross Kaien. Like it or hate it, Yuuki had anticipated that they do need a hunter on their side at the moment.

"You didn't call a hunter out just to watch that bizarre melodrama or perhaps to stake you with that piece of wood, right?"

0000000000

They were back in the giant freezer, minus the cold. The motor was not whirring and grinding anymore which means the goons must have switched the evil contraption off. His shackles were snapped back on but they left Kiriyu lying motionless about five feet away from him, breathing hard and eyes still glowing red even in his weakened condition. Aidou doubted the vampire hunter was lucid. If he hadn't drained Kiriyu to that point, any E would have long snap any necks within reach and suck it dry.

Tomohisa, or should he call, Mr. Amber Eyed Cat went to free the cursing giant lump of menace from his chains while the vampire noble deposited the unconscious Takahashi callously onto the mucky floor.

"Look at this fucking mess, it wouldn't had happened if you got here on time!" shouted Mr. Ogre at the two as soon as he pulled out his own gag. _Oh look Hanabusa, the Three Stooges._

The suit clad vampire immediately seized him up and delivered a swift blow into the abdomen, sending the giant crumpling back down onto the floor. "It wouldn't have happened if your ears were connected to your brain. Get out and guard the door!" he barked at the fuming hunter.

Regardless of the order, the lumbering fool tried to launch a counter attack on the vampire but stopped by Tomohisa. Aidou wanted to laugh. So the hodgepodge trio were not such good comrades after all.

"Do as he says, Gouda. You're making us look like a joke in front of the snotty kid," Tomohisa caught the other hunter by an arm and shoved him away. Surprisingly, he obeyed. "And you, Kurohashi.. Get a grip so we can get the work done. We'll deal with Gouda afterwards"

The noble called Kurohashi gave the defeated Gouda an evil look before sauntering over to Tomohisa. In turn, the silver haired hunter patted the noble on the shoulder and led him towards the captives.

Aidou watched the whole scene in puzzlement. _Oh.. you're screwed Hanabusa. The villain's knee-deep into chain bondage. Thanks to you, that damn Kiriyu's out. Takahashi's a traitor. You should have called Kain instead earlier. Stupid, stupid, stupid Hanabusa! Hope to escape.. Nil. There's Mr. Amber Eyed, silver haired hunter who scared the shit out of Kiriyu, well, the little boy in Kiriyu's head was scared of.. Who looks like the leader of the ratty trio. Mr. Ogre's name is Gouda. Rank.. henchman. The brown haired noble is Kurohashi. The name does ring a bell but who cares for one of those brackish water nobles. Rank.. Tomohisa's bitch. No sane Lavel-B will work for a hunter and that pat looks too chummy. Great, here they comes..Prepare to die. Help me, Kaname-sama! _

Tomohisa's cold eyes sent tremors down his spine. The man was so tall that he had to crane his neck upwards to return the glare. "Kneel down, vampire," he ordered.

"Quit the foreplay you bastard. You know I wouldn't obey you," Aidou spat at the hunter.

"Sure, I've anticipated that," the amber eyes narrowed as he smiled wickedly and Aidou's internal alarm flared off. As in slow motion, he saw the brown haired noble brandish out Takahashi's sword and plunged it into his right foot, skewering it to the floor. The pain jarred his senses but he willed himself to stifle his instinct to cry out. Aidou caught the satisfied smirk on the menacingly handsome face as he felt a sharp kick behind his left knee which sent him crashing down into a kneeling position.

"That was a bit too harsh, Tatsuya. Zero needs all the blood he could get from him," Tomohisa's tone was more of an approval than displeasure. Despite of the nagging pain in his foot, Aidou's temper escalated. He could fell his bloodlust remerging as the blood pooled around him.

The noble gave a disdainful smirk at Tomohisa and ran his fingers through his stylishly cut hair like a satisfied feline. "Takahashi will do just fine to make up to that loss. Throw Gouda in too if it's not enough," he drawled almost lazily in contrast of his fiercely green eyes. "You just gave away my name, _Atsushi_. So let's get to the point."

"Yeah, nice to know you dandy guys but you're leaving me hanging here. I'm no good once I start craving you know" Aidou motioned to the growing pool of crimson. His foot was trying to heal itself around the blade and the agony was killing him. _Kurohashi Tatsuya and Tomohisa Atsushi are real names? Really, I'm dealing with stupid maniacs. Or they have no intention of letting us go alive. This is getting lame. But... Kurohashi? I know that name._

Kurohashi gripped his chin and tilted his face upwards, "You really can't remember me, can you? I've always hated your toffee-nosed personality," Aidou narrowed his eyes and growled at the contact. The noble smirked in return, "Then, Kurohashi Reizo?"

"What does that name have to do with this?" Kurohashi was wearing his patience thin. Not that he had much choice about it. _I know that name. Kurohashi? Come on Hanabusa. This may be the key._

Kurohasi was glowering at him "You're hopeless, Hanabusa. How can you forget your adored tutor who had spent years polishing your so called immense _potential_? At least you could have remembered his name!" A hard fist connected with his jaw, tumbling him off balance in a messy sprawl on the floor. The blade still held his right foot in place and the agony burst anew. _My tutor for years? Who? Wait, Reizo? Could he have meant Rei? _He was quite young when the particular teacher was appointed to him. The Aidous had several of them at one time. He couldn't exactly remember all of their names. But he remembered the similar piercingly green eyes.

"You mean Rei-san? He's dead," Aidou spat out. To his horror, the noble pulled out the blade and poised it over to pierce his heart. However, Tomohisa pulled him back. "You're not somebody who loses your composure, Tatsuya. Go out for a while and make sure Gouda doesn't screw up,"

Without a word, the noble trusted the sword into Tomohisa's hand and left the room. "Good job blowing off his top, brat. That was a first," the silver haired hunter sneered. The large hands grasped his hair and he was pulled up to his knees again.

"Now back to business, aren't you going to ask what do I want from you?"

"Sure, what do you want from me bastard? Are going to tell it all straight up like a good classy villain?" he was tired of the mind-games.

The amber eyes lit up, "I wouldn't own up to the villain title but, since I'm running out of time, yes. I will."

"So why stall, _Tomohisa Atsushi-sensei_?" jeered Aidou and as soon as the hunter heard those words, he smiled eerily.

"You're much closer to Zero than I thought you are. What else did he tell you?" Tomohisa changed his tone. _Got you, cat-eyed bastard! Two can play this game._

"Just enough to know who you are to him,"

"And what am I?" the hunter crossed his arms in front of him in anticipation.

"Someone of cataclysmic significance," Aidou grinned at the hunter.

"Nice try but that doesn't mean anything, brat. Now back to business," Tomohisa unfolded his arms and bent down, bringing his face a few inches close to Aidou's. "I want three things from you,"

* * *

**Loooong A/N:** Great God, I am back! *kissed the earth*. Sorry guys, the nature of my work does require some periodic lengthy absences from the luxury of modern technology for _personal_ usage (it's traceable over there, can't let the others know, huh? Fanfics are our naughty secrets, right?). Heheh.. I've decided to rewrite the chapters (coz I'm ambitious and stubborn) and I'll update fast this time coz maybe I'll have to go away again after Xmas. Do drop in some thoughts because truth is, I'm physically exhausted plus emotionally tired of the lonely cruel quiet world (I'm exaggerating but it doesn't mean it's not true) and I need some love from you guys. You can tell by the flow of my narration. I'm giving our adored Zero a break coz writing him is the trickiest of all. I can't ruin him just because I'm pooped. He'll be back in the next chapter, after I recharge my brain. Hey, flames are cool too. Coz I love you anyways for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 8

"Zero you idiot. Who's going to get you out of this mess now? Get a grip!"

It was black. He could see nothing but black and it numbed him. There were faint voices in the background, some men bickering.

_Am I dead yet?_

"No you're not. Just screwed," it was that low breathy voice again. "Hey, can you feel me?"

A warm hard was stroking his cheek and he nodded his head weakly.

"It's the end if you can't get out of this, Zero," the familiarly comforting voice warned him. "We would really die this time,"

_We?_

"Yes, I died once, brother."

_Ichiru?_

"He's back Zero."

_Who's back?_

"You'll cry again if I say his name. Wake up!"

He was awoken to the immediate sensation akin of being stab by thousands of needles. Instincts told him that he should remain still and assess the situation. _What the hell happened? _He was cold and laying flat on his back on a wet, slimy, grimy surface. Shirtless, barefooted and the left side of his neck felt like it had been hacked with a saw. The chilling piercing pinpricked pain circulating in his loins was obviously bloodlust and somehow his clouded brain told him his body was severely compromised. It was short-circuiting between trying to repair itself and to maintain consciousness.

"You're much closer to Zero than I thought you are. What else did he tell you?" a man's distant voice resonated off the walls. _Why was my name mentioned? I told who what?_

"Just enough to know who you are to him," a slightly strangled voice answered. _Aidou?_

"And what am I?" the first man taunted. The tone was somehow hit a familiar chord.

"Someone of cataclysmic significance," Zero could hear the scoff in Aidou's voice.

Pieces of the previous events were starting to come back to him. There was somebody lying a few feet away. A vampire, bloodied and knocked out cold. _Aidou's dog. _Then the metal ceiling and rusty metal rods came to view and he felt the heavy searing imprint of metal around his wrist and there was a strong smell of freshly spilled vampire blood wafting in the air. It tortured him immensely. _Fuck, back in the damn ice box again? He got hurt again after all that work? That, useless snot-faced girly boy and what does he meant of cataclysmic significance? Did I grow a brain tumour for someone or what? Oh yeah, for Kuran, who else?_

"Nice try but that doesn't mean anything, brat. Now back to business," said the man. _Okay, one more badass is comprehendible. The man must be another hunter, the giant oaf's accomplice._ _Speaking of which, where is he? I can't smell his stink anymore. Damn bloodlust, go away! Why now of all time? Oh right, I donated some to Aidou._

Someone shifted and Aidou inhaled sharply. _Did he get molested? I don't care._

"I want three things from you," the man spoke again.

He heard Aidou's irritating giggle. "Sorry Tomohisa, even though I'm pretty, I'm not a genie."

Zero's mind went numb in panic. He craned his neck to steal a glimpse of the so called person. The silver hair was enough to confirm his dread. _Tomohisa? It can't be. No, no, no, no.. Not him! _

The tall man had his back in his direction while Aidou was kneeling defiantly. Aidou's eyes widened momentarily as they caught his. "_Play dead!" _those blue eyes seemed to commandbefore he pulled his act together again. _Stop it Aidou, don't taunt him!_

Zero laid his head back down again. _Come on, Zero. Think! _

"You don't have to make yourself exceptional to do as I desire," Tomohisa's deep voice sent cold tremors down to his core. He knew it was meant for Aidou, that he was somehow safe for the time being but it will not be long before it was his turn. Zero clamped his eyes shut. _His words would not affect me anymore!_

A set of footsteps entered the room. The newcomer did nothing to mask his presence, a noble class vampire and no doubt another accomplice. "Really, Hanabusa.. It wouldn't hurt to cooperate with us," he had a smoother tenor and almost lazily drawled the words out.

"I remember you now, Sei-san. I've forgotten both of your real names. Still, I think I can recall the look on your brother's face the moment I shattered him to tiny icy shards..." Aidou was cut short and a series of thumps were punctuated by a muffled groan. _Nice move, ice princess. You really want to die today. Who the hell is this Sei? Aidou knew the vampire?_

"Enough, Tatsuya!" barked Tomohisa. Zero could picture the fury etched onto his face. He had seen in so many times. "Now, listen brat, unless you have an early death wish, I recommend you to choose your next words wisely."

"I'm going to tell you our objectives. Clearly, concisely and you can be assured that I'll make sure they're achieved."

"You got to be crazy, old man. Who tells the prisoners what they're up to that easily,"

"Well I do and believe me I always get what I want," Tomohisa chuckled derisively. "First, I want your testimony against Kuran Kaname in regards of Hiou Shizuka's murder,"

There was a brief silence before Aidou burst out laughing. "Yeah, you are crazy, both of you. The whole world knows it was Kiriyu Zero over there that killed her,"

"The world may say so, but you know it's otherwise" the vampire Aidou had called Sei stopped his mirth. "Memories are like energy, remember Reizo's teachings? Who had thought you the craft to manipulate them? Wasn't it my dear departed brother? What if I can pluck out that scene out of your glorious brain and store it away as a valuable keepsake or as insurance that you'll abide to our terms. Like a movie clip that can be replayed over and over again. Undoubtedly, you're the most loyal follower within Kuran's circle. You'll do anything to protect him,"

Aidou did not say anything. The silence could slice anything in half. _Serves you right, Aidou. You knew and yet you did nothing._ Zero knew Kuran had killed her, he confessed to him during the last time he offered his neck. However, the revelation that Aidou had also known mildly shocked him.

"Given the right tools and the right method, it's possible isn't it brat? Kuran would be taken down if the evidence came into light," Tomohisa broke the stillness. "Now, shall I proceed to the next point? It's nice that you've taken this seriously,"

Once more, Aidou remained silent and Tomohisa gave a satisfied hum. "We've been conducting a series of experiments in this venue. I'm a man of knowledge and I'll do whatever it takes to perfect my craft and as you can see, the mud beneath your feet are the outcome of my previous endeavours,"

"I get it. I'm swimming in dead Level-E muck, so what?" Aidou's agitation was evident. _He'll feed on your insecurities just as he had exploited mine. _

"We're in the final stages of testing our work. Simply said, a drug, or should I say a suppressant to prevent Level-Ds to completely fall into Level-E," Zero could feel the sense of accomplishment interwoven amongst the words. _That_ s_ounds too good to be true, Tomohisa._

"However, we discovered some unexpectedly pleasant results along the way. We've created a _soldier pill_, they heal faster and even if they lose a limb or an eye, they'll stop at nothing. If administered to a Level-E, they could be controlled to abide specific orders and that's where you Level-Bs come into view, to feed the commands, to control.."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"We could work together, Aidou-san. It takes someone with our type of memory altering capabilities to control those Es. Together with the drugs, we could even create an indestructible militia. You could command an army to fight for Kuran Kaname," it was the noble vampire who had interjected.

Moments of silence passed until Aidou spoke, "Hypothetically speaking, if Kuran-sama does win this whatever war you're waging. What is it to you?" Aidou's voice was deceptively calm.

"I'm a simple man. Fame, wealth and recognition by your king should be enough and a world without Level-Es to hunt would put an end to the Hunter Association's influence and power,"

"You could have just come out with a proposal and set a date for a formal meeting if you seriously think I would buy all that crap. You're a hunter, bastard. To think I would believe that you would want to see the end to the association. Hunters are like soulless zombies when it comes to abiding orders. You're just setting me up for something else and nabbing that insolent Kiriyu too. You're thinking of screwing him around again aren't you? Hire a real programmer and set your drugs with a packaged brainwashing CD! " nobody could ever win a verbal combat with the blond. _Nicely said but leave me out of this, stupid._

"Trying to test my patience, brat? Believe what you want to believe because in the end, you'll do exactly as I say," Tomohisa must be gritting his teeth.

"Whatever, old man! Spit out the last one already. You bore me," somehow Aidou's impudence impressed him.

"It's true that I want your cooperation regarding the drugs. However, you have to prove yourself reliable," by the sound of his voice, Zero could tell that Tomohisa had managed to calm himself down. It was rare, unless he had more in store. "Give him the bag Tatsuya,"

Something heavy was thrown onto the wet floor because it landed with a disgusting slosh. _Aidou must be wrinkling his nose in revulsion._

"The test is fairly straightforward. The two of you should get to the location on the map inside that bag within 24 hours by all means possible. Tatsuya had kindly prepared some basic necessities in there although I had strongly objected. We'll be watching and don't ever think of cheating. One wrong move and we'll be watching Kuran's fall from grace."

"You know I could never control Kiriyu and he doesn't care about Kuran-sama. You're asking for the impossible," groused Aidou.

"Perhaps you are not so close to him after all. The drug is inside that bag. If he doesn't listen, make him," there was a faint sense of glee in Tomohisa's tone. "Now, Tatsuya, he's all yours."

There was a scuffle, a groan of protest and then silence. Tomohisa must have subdued Aidou and the one named Tatsuya was doing whatever he had to do to Aidou. Zero had never felt so helpless and the bloodlust was trapping him in a red haze. He had wanted to move, but he couldn't.

"You've heard everything right, my pet?" the voice was so close and he immediately frozen in the amber orbs. He materialized like an apparition, the longish silver hair hung loosely around the slightly aged face as he bent down over him. It had been a while since he last saw the man.

Those long fingers were tracing the outlines of his lips, "You've been breathing right for a while there so I assume I don't have to repeat the gist of your impending task, hmmm..?"

The fingers brushed over his eyes and it sickened him. "Get your damn hands off me," he hissed.

The older hunter smiled innocently as he reached lower for his shackled hands, bringing the raw knuckles to those smirking lips. Zero snatched them away, gathering his energy to make a hasty scramble to the nearby wall. His back hit the cold metal, the long chain attached to the shackles stretched taut and jangled upon the impact, signalling that he could go no further. But the man disturbed him; he just had to get away.

Zero would, if he could. But, even the smallest movement wore him out and the red searing pain bubbled in his core. The silver haired hunter moved nearer and crouched down in front of him. Those slim fingers reached out again, curling themselves into his blood caked hair, bringing their faces closer together.

"Apart from your sinful eyes, I worship everything about you," Tomohisa kissed his eyelids in mock adoration and the fingers had moved downwards, tracing the outlines of his cheekbones, brushing his jaw line as if he was trying to memorize his face. "It never ceased to enthral me, Zero. Your beauty, your face, how you resemble me in so many ways. Yet, you cringe away from me."

Zero knew exactly what will happen next. It was always the same. It always starts with those chaste gestures and ended with torment. _Stop! Get away from me!_ He wanted to shout but the words were stuck in his throat.

"You're trembling," A warm palm was pressed over his heart. "Why do you fear me?" The amber eyes darkened and his other hand clamped painfully over the burning tattoo. "After all I've done to save you,"

"I'm not afraid of you," he could feel his fangs lengthening as he spoke, his voice horse and raw. _Yes, show him anger, not fear. _

"It breaks my heart to watch what you have become, my boy. You should have chosen to come to me and maybe I could have saved you earlier," Tomohisa touched his finger to the tip of the fang, drawing blood and smeared it onto Zero's bottom lip. "Oops, my bad.." he smirked.

_Shit! _The metallic scent triggered his feral instincts; the desire for blood boiled like molten magma. _Stop! _He fought it hard and smashed his head against the wall, earning an amused chuckle from the hunter.

Caught off guard, those strong hands gripped his head again. Tomohisa seized the moment to crush their lips together and sucked his reddened lips. The shock was enough to stop the trashing need. Zero tried to bang his head against Tomohisa's but the amber eyed hunter was faster and stepped away laughing quietly.

"Electrifying as always dear Zero, like kissing a poisonous viper," he mocked while licking his vile lips. "Beautiful, mystifying, yet deadly."

Zero glared at the man with all the hate he could muster but Tomohisa laughed harder, "I stopped your cravings for a while there, didn't I?"

"I'm done here, Atsushi. Let's go," the noble vampire appeared from behind and placed a firm grip on Tomohisa's shoulder. There was something Zero could not understand flaring in those brilliant green eyes as he tightened his grip.

Tomohisa reluctantly held out his hand and accepted a strange opaque glassy sphere from the brown haired noble, "Remember, Zero. 24 hours. I'll be waiting."

0000000000

"What do you want Kuran-san?" the red headed hunter picked the toppled wooden chair up and straddled it, fearless, ill-mannered and downright arrogant. But his mannerism did not frazzle Yuuki a bit. _She lived with another character like this one before. _

Yuuki set the swaddled wooden board onto the desk and whipped out her phone, reading something on the screen. "So, he did send you," she sighed in defeat as she tucked the device back into her small bag. She smiled at Takamiya, "Sorry about that but I really was expecting my father in person."

Takamiya's stance did not change, "He can't be here. Not in the middle of this mess." He wore his hatred like a badge.

Nevertheless, Yuuki chose to ignore it, "How close are the hunters to finding Zero?"

The green eyes hardened after hearing her question, "I can't tell you."

"I presume that means nothing much had been done, correct?" it was not a wise thing to say in the presence of the prideful hunter but he had to speed things up.

"As I said earlier, vampire, I can't tell you," he stood up and brushed his coat. "I'm leaving,"

"I have a way to find him," Yuuki's words stopped him in his tracks, "But, I need your help."

Takamiya studied the both of them with a suspicious eye, "You have my attention. Go on.."

"Zero's tattoo, he's a tamed vampire isn't he? I found out that the tamer could use some methods to track one down in case he goes missing. Do those methods really exist?"

The hunter folded his arms, "Let's say the things you say do, what do you, a pureblood want with him? Although you are the one who tamed Kiriyu, what will you do to him afterwards? Or perhaps is it to find Aidou heir like the rest of them?" He clearly hates vampires. _The very reason I hate hunters too. He may be more stubborn than the oddly compassionate Kiriyu. _

"He was once my brother," Yuuki surprised them. "I believe our bond transcends race and blood. Do not speak of motives and prejudice against me ever again." Her voice was hard and her eyes were glazing as she turned to look at the two of them. "I want him safe and finding Aidou is equally important because he's my friend."

Takamiya ran his hand in his fiery locks and sighed, "You're really something."

"Help me find them both."

0000000000

They were gone, their presence, their voices vanished as they left them there. _I can't believe this. _He slumped back onto the floor, curling into a foetal position, breathing raggedly, unable to suppress the searing pain that burned through his veins. Blood, blood and blood. It was bad. It always had been bad. But ever since that last time he had Kuran's blood, and that regretful episode with Ichiru, it was not like as it used to be. In a way or another, he was stabilized and he hated it, being caught in that threshold between a Level-D and Level-E. It may be easier if he would just lose his mind. Now, it was pain, pain, pain and more insufferable paralysing pain.

The sound of a chain dragging on the wet floor and the slow sloshing footsteps told him that Aidou was advancing nearer. _Shit, not like this! I can't succumb to this.._ The chains slid on the floor in a series of clinks and Aidou's faint warmth seemed to scorch the bare skin of his exposed back.

The smallish trembling hands nudged his shoulder tentatively, "Hey, you okay, Kiriyu?" The touches were like razors. _It hurts.. Don't lay a hand on me. _

"I'm sorry I had to see all that," Aidou retracted his hand and moved away. He did not respond and couldn't tell what the blond was up to but the recent actions were plain weird. _That damn, vampire Sei must have done something to his blondness supercilious brain. _

A faint scent of blood assaulted him. Zero turned over just in time to see Aidou pressing his fingernails into the unconscious Takahashi's jugular. A small amount of blood trickled from the crescent shaped cuts. The shackles were suppressing his vampire nature; no doubt his fangs were useless.

"What the hell are you doing? Stop!" he managed to croak out a warning. Those blue eyes turned to him.

"I'm trying to make myself better. Don't worry, I'll leave some for you," the blond teased.

Propping himself up on an elbow he barked at Aidou, "Stop unless you want to get zapped like a fly. You have to get those off, you fool!"

Aidou let Takahashi crash back down like a sack of potatoes and made his way towards Zero, "Thanks for the warning. I thought you were going to lecture me on my unethical choice of nourishment,"

"I did try to feed him to you earlier, remember. I won't stop you unless he's human," he hissed in pain to Aidou who had pulled him to sit up. "Watch it, princess! You'll rip my hands off,"

Much to his consternation, the blond just pouted while holding out his manacled hands, "Get me out of these, please."

Zero glared at the smirking vampire, "I don't trust you enough, senpai. Let's just stay here to rot to death."

"Here we go again," he sighed. Aidou kneeled down beside him, "Look here, Kiriyu. I mean look at me."

Rolling his eyes, he stared into those blue ones. He had never seen them up close before and it rattled him, "I'm looking and I feel stupid,"

"Listen to me, Kiriyu and be objective. We're in this together now. I know you have something to do with Tomohisa Atsushi and I want to bust the kneecaps off that Sei, no.. Kurohashi Tatsuya because they took something from me. You know what it is, right?" Aidou spoke the names carefully as he was afraid something would break. _What are so cautious about, blondie?_ Zero nodded anyways.

"You do trust me or else you wouldn't have let me.. umm.. you know," he was blushing slightly. _Crap, you're bringing that up? _"We can do this working together thing. I'll deal with Takahashi coz you rather drop dead than soiling yourself with these kinds of things but I need you to come with me in this 24 hours gibberish and get things straightened,"

"Why?" he asked the blond vampire without letting his gaze waver.

"Because if that fragment of my memory does leak out, we would be at war. You know it's real and they have it," Aidou was almost uncharacteristically pleading. _So, it's serious? Duh.._ He took and deep breath and gestured for Aidou to go on.

"The vampires would judge and rise against Kuran-sama, upsetting the precarious balance that we have now. Worse, the hunters and humans would inevitably be dragged into it as well," he paused and licked his lips as if he was weighing his decision to continue. "Didn't your former teacher mentioned of an army of Es? Where does Es come from, Kiriyu? Should I say more?" the look he had on his face was solemn. Aidou could either be a really great actor or he was not as shallow has Zero had perceived him to be.

He hated to admit, Aidou was right, "I don't like what you're about to do but make sure you leave him alive. Cross or Kain would likely be right on our trail."

Wordlessly, he undid the restraint, sending it clanging against the dirty hard surface. Aidou studied his raw wrists for a few seconds before looking back up at him wearing an amused grin, "I was thinking of the same thing."

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you Lily, love you PMs as always and I'll use your ideas for the next chapter. She wants a bit of shonen-ai twist and she's mad at me coz our Kaname deserves more light *smiles*. Sorry gal, I'll do better. Chapter 7 was posted about... 18 or 19 hour ago and till this moment, we have 79 readers *bows*. But, did you hate it and didn't bother to review? *cries*

Come on, inspire me to work harder. I want to wrap up the story before I have to leave again. I hope.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 9

Disturbing.

That was the only word that popped in his head when Aidou sank his fangs into Takahashi's neck. He kept reminding himself it will be no different than watching a lion gutting a gazelle in one of those documentaries; an act of nature, a necessity to survive. _All of us need to survive. He has to do it to survive._ _He's not human and there is nothing wrong with a Level-B benefitting from a Level-C because it is all in their traditions. That useless lump was his lackey, you don't have to care._.

Even though the blond did not make a sound or spilt even a drop, it was eerie. He had never watched another vampire feed without having to pull out his gun and shoot the living hell out of the perpetrator before and worse; the tantalizing scent of blood was killing him.

However, the real reason he was uneasy was the fact those red eyes were trained on him from the start. Like a wary beast anxious that someone might snatch away his prey._ Look away Zero.._ _Just look elsewhere but him.._ But he couldn't. _That guard hound bastard is mine to kill. All vampires are!_ But all he could do is watch and it was tearing him up inside. No matter how bad his condition was, he would rather turn to dust than suckle on fresh blood ever again.

Like a satisfied cat, Aidou dumped the limp bodyguard onto the floor. "Yeah, I know, I know Kiriyu. Just don't say a word," he warned while wiping his slightly stained mouth with the back of his right hand. He got on to his feet, kicked Takahashi one more time while laughing dryly, "I'll get back to you after I deal with Kurohashi. Right, Takashi?"

He got to the black canvas bag casted away by Kurohashi earlier, unzipped it roughly and rummaged through the contents with a frown permanently etched on his soiled face. The bruises he had were slowly fading, he was healing. After a few impatient shakes of his head, he pulled out a yellowish crumpled wad of paper and carefully smoothed it out against the wall. _That must be the map and it's older than any of us. Whoa... us? Fuck hell! _

"Now, Kiriyu... We have to get moving," the blond peered at him questioningly. Zero knew he looked like crap. Barefoot, shirtless, injured and hanging precariously on the edge of sanity; if he was in Aidou's shoes, he would not take the risk of travelling with an unstable Level-D. He wanted to come out with a stinging retort but the noble had moved so rapidly materialized in front of him with a hand extended for his. The dirty black canvas haversack was hanging loosely from his shoulders. "Can you get up or should I carry you?" the tone was serious, devoid of his natural flamboyance. His face grim with his lips firmly pressed together into a thin line. _This is his real character hidden under that whole stupid idol personality he had._ Aidou was uncharacteristically serious. Yes, he had always been loud, annoying and a megalomaniac. Zero scowled at the blond.

"Hey.. Are you going to stare at me all day long?" the hand moved closer and patted him on the left cheek as if urging him to focus. Of course, he flinched away from the contact. In contrast of the warm touch, those icy blue eyes grew colder in disgust. It was good to know that he was not the only one who detested the act; Aidou must be testing him.

Zero gave a disdainful snort. Forming sentences and talking seemed to be energy wasting efforts at the moment so he decided to raise his iron shackled hands and gave the long chain attached to the eyelet on the cement floor a hard tug so that the vampire got the message; there was no way Aidou could get that contraption off.

With a heavy sigh and much to Zero's amazement, the blond made his way towards the eyelet and pulled the whole thing out of the floor just like he was pulling out an annoying weed from the soil. Chunks of hard cement were stuck at the end of the metal that it looked like a medieval flail. "Although I can't get that thing off you, it doesn't mean that I can't free you. Well, sort of free you," he boasted while twirling and tugging the end of the chain simultaneously, chuckling in glee in successfully jerking the irate vampire hunter forward. "Having you on a leash could be fun after all," he chuckled.

The anti-vampire metal was slowly burning his skin but the vampire didn't seem to care. _Looks like annoying me would be the royal princess's topmost priority. If I had the energy, I would have so lovingly strangled him with that chain. Playing around when he thinks he's running short on time? What the heck? Two can play this game._

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, staring defiantly at the infuriating blond.

Aidou let out a frustrated yell and tugged the chain so hard, it sent Zero crashing down sideways onto the grimy floor. "Beg your pardon? I thought we had gone over this," Aidou shouted and yanked him back up by the hair. The grip hurt but he glared spitefully into the icy blue counterparts.

"Yes, but did you ever get an affirmative?" Zero shrugged Aidou off with his shackled limbs, scooted back lazily to rest his torso against the cold metal wall. His deliberately aloof tone set the blond's trigger off.

In a flash, Aidou pounced onto him, held his restraints just above his head and fisted his blood crusted silver hair; forcing him to tilt his face dangerously close with the Level-B. In his rage, Aidou's fangs had elongated and Zero could feel the fingers gripping him lengthening into claws as it dug painfully into the back of his head. Zero's internal alarm told him to get away from the potential danger but Aidou overpowered him.

Sensing his struggle, the blond tightened his hold and pinned the shackles firmer against the floor. Their skin hissed against the charmed device. Both of them were vampires, it harmed them either way but Aidou did not care. The stinking filthy slippery floor made him cringe in revulsion. Disgusting Level-E sludge was saturating into his bare back. Wallowing in the ashes of perished _brothers-in-arms _should not feel nice by all means and having another creature ranked higher in the bloodthirsty hierarchy breathing in his face repulsed him.

"Scared Kiriyu?" a sinister smile deformed the usually handsome face.

_Somebody had gotten the wrong message._ "Of you? Not in a million years.." he jeered. He hated the other vampire who was hovering dangerously over him; the evil glint in those blue eyes, the sneering face, and the vulnerability he felt when that lithe, frail looking body was able to immobilize him so easily. Although he tried his best to mask his awkwardness with the thing he knows best; antagonism, as forced as it was, Aidou could read him like an open book.

But Aidou let out an amused grunt, "Of course not. How about a certain dangerously _charming _silver-headed hunter?" The pearly white teeth flashed in that wicked grin, "I didn't mean you of course, the _other one_; because you're just dangerously vitriolic."

_Not that Tomohisa... Shit!_

"I don't really get you, Kiriyu," Aidou lowered his face closer till their noses were barely touching. The proximity grated on his nerves but the blond dug his claws deeper to stop his struggle, "One moment you're arrogantly cynical, impetuous, and stubborn..."

Zero tugged his hands downwards but Aidou slammed them back higher up and continued his ramblings, "Then suddenly, you endanger yourself by acting so gratifyingly generous in saving my hide with your lusciously venomous blood. That puzzles me. Are you really _that_ kind? You could've let me die. Though I'm relieved you did not. But then _he_ came along.."

His voice dropped into a acidic whisper, "You shrunk back like a spineless worm when he sucked your face," Aidou used his fingers to mimic Tomohisa's touch earlier before continuing on, "How can you refuse to get out there and hunt that damn human down? I know you've always had the will to overcome your cursed _impairments_. And knowing you, the one who have had the nerves to defy Kaname-sama was afraid of a puny human hunter, I was truly disappointed. Who is he, Kiriyu? Did he used to screw you so bad to until you broke?"

Aidou's words sliced trough him like a jagged piece of glass and ribbons of buried emotions tightened and constricted around his heart. He was floundering in suppressed memories, spurting and oozing through the thick barrier he had built in his mind. _Fuck you, Aidou!_ His world shook as it was rapidly curtained by wrath. Gradually, Aidou's razor-sharp punishing clasp was not as agonizing as it was anymore. The blond was moving his lips again; obviously muttering the similar lines of rancour. _Shut up, shut up, shut the hell up!_ But Aidou would not stop.

_I'll teach you to shut up! _He screamed in his mind. In response, Zero wrenched his hands away and before the infuriating blond could react, he hooked his arms around the other vampire's head and yanked it back down roughly. Aidou's eyes flared in shock when he mashed their lips together forcefully, efficiently silencing him. The noble immediately squirmed and growled angrily.

The struggle escalated when Aidou tried to break away by bracing his arms to push up against the floor but Zero grappled the slender vampire with his legs, entrapping him. _I'll make you regret, Aidou!_ The slippery wet floor rendered Aidou's clumsy trashing futile. When the blond opened his mouth to scream his protest, Zero seized the moment to deepen the contact, not caring that their teeth clashed violently and that Aidou's fangs grazed his tongue in that frantic moment.

The taste of his blood must have stunned the noble. _Take that, hope it'll poison you!_ For a second, Aidou stiffened but immediately Zero could tell his taunt changed into a risk when Aidou's tongue moved against his own. _Oh no, you don't! _He immediately pulled out just before Aidou decided to clamp down for more. He was surprised when Aidou let a sound that suspiciously resembled a frustrated whimper. Ignoring it, Zero viciously sunk his blunt teeth into the Aidou's lower lip until he drew the blond's blood instead.

He tasted it; his own blood infused in Aidou's when the crimson liquid leaked into his mouth and washed against his tongue. _Damn stupid! Here we go, Zero.._ He had forgotten about the restraints around his wrist.

Immediately, the anti-vampire properties of the device were activated. A scorching white hot invisible blaze shot through his heart, jolting and paralyzing him and instinctively, he spat whatever that was left out. Aidou took the opportunity to break away from him.

As soon as his vision cleared, he saw the blond crouching down a few feet away, breathing hard and glaring murder at him. Trickles dribble down his chin as the wounded lip closes up. Zero laughed bitterly as he stared back at the vampire and he managed to rasp out in a barely audible voice, "Hope you get the gist, senpai.. It felt _amazing_ didn't it?"

Aidou gritted his teeth and hissed, "You kissed me! Hell, you're fucking sick!"

_Yeah, you earned it for reminding me of that Tomohisa. _The anti-vampire charm did more damage than he had anticipated because from the feel of it, his insides seemed to had turned into goo. Coupled with his bloodlust, it hurt a millions fold. Even the mucky floor appeared to be colder than ice. _You messed up, Zero. _He didn't bother to look at the blond anymore, "Corrections, princess. I harassed you and I'm fucking dying."

He could not identify with the brief panic flashing in Aidou's face. "Get the fuck out and get your precious memories by yourself. After leeching on me and that filthy guard should be enough so go on and play with that _certain dangerously charming silver-headed hunter_. Fail, and see if I care when they finally pitch Kuran into the pyre."

_What Aidou? Wipe that stupid look off your face before I split if in half!_

Aidou was about to speak when a loud boom resonates throughout the building. Something had crashed on the roof above. His instinct told him something bad was approaching and it seemed that Aidou had also felt the same. The blond was concentrating. A Level-B's senses were far more acute than a hunter turned vampire. Several booms reverberated against the walls seconds later and both of them could feel the foul presence that comes with it. He knew that feeling anywhere. Level-Es. A few numbers of them.

Aidou swiftly dragged him up. Zero wobbled on his feet so Aidou wordlessly slung the left arm around his shoulder. There were unorganized footsteps on the brittle zinc roof. They were searching them out. He stopped the blond and tried to pry him off, "Leave me here and escape, senpai. It's not worth it."

To his surprise, the blue-eyed blond whacked hard him on the head. "Should I punch you? After I got skewered to save you once? Yuuki-sama would castrate me if I leave you here. I don't care if you don't feel like it but pick another vampire to die on, please. Shut up and move!" Aidou growled in frustration when he refused to budge. "Move, Kiriyu!"

0000000000

"What exactly are we doing here, Takamiya-san?" Yuuki finally broke the awkward silence since their two hour long journey to the peculiar residence. He did not answer her and signalled for her to be quiet. Although he appeared to know exactly where he was heading to, she was sure it was somebody else's home because they had walked pass some ancient portraits of unknown men, women and even children. Their dark eyes and identical black hair contrasted with their pale skin. None of them looked like the redheaded hunter.

Earlier, Takamiya Kaito had spent a few minutes fiddling with the main door before giving them the all clear to exit their car. The building has a foreboding feeling to it, like the Hunter Association Headquarters. Perhaps, the hilltop home belonged to one of the hunters. Worse, perhaps they were trespassing. But Kaname did not show any objection so she obligingly went along with the hunter. Finding Zero and Aidou was their top priority. _Maybe only mine alone. Takamiya only wants to utilize whatever ways to find Zero while Kaname must only be concerned to not get me into trouble. Oh woe.._

They were still walking along the musty dark passage leading deeper into the building. It was an old fashion Japanese styled house with _tatami_ floors and exotically painted _fusuma_ panels. Kaname too had been quiet, walking soundlessly behind them. Then Takamiya stopped in front of a room contemplating. He turned towards them and spoke, "Wait out here unless you can promise me you wouldn't lay a finger on anything in this room."

He slid the old creaky _fusuma_ open and revealed a dusty room lined with shelves and shelves of books. She followed him inside but Kaname did not move from his spot by the entrance. Takamiya shrugged his shoulders and beckoned for Yuuki to follow him to the furthest rack at the back of the dark room.

"We're looking for a thick big red leather covered book with a bronze emblem on the spine. Make sure you don't touch any of them unless you want to get accidentally zapped, scalded or burned," he warned.

"Charms?" Yuuki asked while eying the rows and rows of crammed books. The shelves looked like they could crumble under the weight at any moment. She was not too fond of libraries especially after those long gruelling months of holing in the enormous facility back in the Kuran mansion with the hyperactive Aidou.

"Of course.. Worse, they are rigged by the very best. He wouldn't be too pleased if he learns I had brought _strangers_ into his house to _borrow_ his book," he mumbled.

So she was right, they were intruding. Kaname must have known but surprisingly he indirectly agreed to it by coming along. "So, we're in somebody else's house?" she asked the obvious and he sighed.

"Apparently... And I might get punished over nothing because the book is not here," he pointed to a large gap in between the top shelf. "Oh well, I'll just have to make sure he doesn't then,"

"Punished? But you seemed to be familiar with this house. Surely you're close to the owner," Yuuki asked the hunter.

"But not close enough to escape with mischief," he replied as she followed him back out to meet an impatient looking Kaname. He was listening.

Takamiya dusted his long green coat in frustration and stared blankly at the two of them, "There's one more place to look but I don't think following me in there would be such a good idea,"

At last, Kaname spoke up, "We don't have much time in our hands, Takamiya-san. Three pair of eyes is better than one,"

"All right, suit yourselves. Follow me," he led them back into the room and lifted up a section of the _tatami_. There was a wooden trapdoor underneath it. Takamiya knelt down beside it and pressed his palms against it. Something glowed from beneath and he stood back up with a satisfied smirk, "Okay, I dealt with that one. That's the real study slash workplace. Can you lift that thing up if you don't mind? It's sort of too heavy for a human," he looked at Kaname while pointing at the trapdoor.

"I thought the owner was a hunter," she piped her curiosity. _I thought the owner was a human _her mind echoed.

The redhead's lips formed an acidic smile, "It does not mean some of the hunters are not acquainted with vampires. A typical hunter's home would be armed with anti-vampire charms to the teeth. You got in here too easily, didn't you? Can't you tell? Lift it up Kuran."

"Order me around like that again and I'll make sure you'll get _acquainted_ with _this_ vampire," despite of his resentment, Kaname easily pried the trapdoor open which leads to a dark underground room. "Lead the way _hunter_," Kaname did not really trust the redhead, Yuuki could tell.

They ascended the dimly lit metal stairs to a cold, damp and vile smelling room. Vile because it smelt like all sorts of things had died down there; the air was thick with the scent of old decayed things. It assaulted her senses like a sledgehammer. Kaname did not look to comfortable either and Takamiya wore an amused expression.

"I'm glad I didn't have your noses. The place's rancid but apparently it is a bit more to you," he chuckled.

Light flooded the room and immediately Yuuki saw the real source of the unbearable stench. Organs, bones and all sorts of unidentified chunks of _organic_ matter lay stagnant in hundreds of murky jars. She wanted to hurl but Kaname flashed a warning look so she held her stomach in. Takamiya seemed to be unfazed by the gore. _Right, he's a bloodthirsty hunter._ They followed him further into the dimly lit space, the walls were tacked and various types of weapons hung from it. Hunter weapons. Some of the metal was stained with grime from their last kill. No doubt those came from slain vampires from their lists; hunters only hunt Level-Es.

Nevertheless, she could not prevent the sickening pull in her stomach. Vampires, regardless of their hierarchical distinctions were still living creatures. Takamiya caught her distress and scoffed but he chose not make any remarks. Kaname's aura had taken a dangerously dark turn, he was annoyed.

"Cut that out Kuran or you'll accidentally cripple this fragile human me here," warned the redhead. He stopped behind another door and flicked on the switch beside it. "Really, I don't recommend you to come inside.."

Kaname pulled back his emotions but his irritation showed in his voice, "I recommend you to stop stalling. Open it." Even in the shadows, she could see his grimness.

She had expected to see gore or something even more disturbing like a dissected corpse hanging from the ceiling but instead, they stepped into a black tiled, sterile grey painted room. A white work desk occupied a corner, a steel table dominated the centre and it was brightly lit by series of mirrored pendaflour lights. There was a huge iron riveted double door on the opposite side of the room and the only potentially dangerous items in there were the tray full of run of the mill surgical knives, scissors and needles beside the operating table. Ordinary stainless steel, regardless of their sharpness is not sufficient to kill vampires.

Takamiya paid no heed to her explorations and moved swiftly to open wooden storage cupboard standing at the side of the room while Kaname brushed pass her to examine the desk. Yuuki marvelled at the cleanliness of the space and wondered why the hunter had been hesitant to admit them in.

"You're out of lucky today because usually there will be a dead hunter on that table" said the redhead. Yuuki stared at his back doubtfully and he must have sensed it so, he explained, "He autopsies them in case one perishes in the line of duty," Takamiya's voice was slightly muffled from behind the door. He was still occupied in searching the book he wanted.

"Perish?" she accidentally squeaked. Kaname shot a cross look at her. He may look solemn as he always does but she had known him long enough to pick up the slightest hint of emotions in him. He had been skimming through the desk earlier and whatever he found there, he was not pleased. Her display of weakness must have fuelled his irritation. _Right, act like a real pureblood royalty especially in front of a hunter. Sorry, Kaname._ To her mortification, Takamiya Kaito laughed at her outburst.

"You should stop before I give you a reason to test that piece of furniture yourself," she tried to sound haughty and redeem herself. Suddenly, she was afraid of what Kaname would do to the man. She was confident she had sounded arrogant enough to her standards and it breaks her heart.

The hunter pretended not to hear and slammed the cupboard back shut. "Not here. I wasted my time for nothing," he groused. Instantly, Kaname grew livid. Yuuki watched him send Takamiya skidding backwards on the floor without even physically touching him in slow motion. The redhead growled in rage as he raced back up forward to stop Kaname from getting to the cupboard.

Takamiya changed his course because Kaname had done something which had caused the huge wooden thing to burst into splinters. Papers and volumes of old books exploded and scattered onto the floor including the alleged red leather bound book. A carved wolf-like bronze emblem glinted on the spine. _The hunter was lying! Why? _Yuuki could only stare at her brother in dismay. _God! Please, Kaname..._ He had lost his calm countenance and she found his current unexplained aggressive behaviour horrifying. Although his face had returned back to its placid composure, his aura was threatening to split open out of control again.

_No, no.. Stop! _Yuuki ran to him without thinking twice and clutched to his coat lapels, looking up to plead him to calm down. He immediately did but he set her aside and trusted a glossy piece of paper into Takamiya's face. She realized it was a piece of old laminated photograph. Takamiya's green eyes grew wide in horror as he slapped Kaname's hand away.

Yuuki grabbed the hand holding the item, trying her best to steal a look at the cause of Kaname's outburst but he jerked it away and tucked the photograph into his pocket. "You lied about the book and _who_ exactly would keep something like this around?" venom dripped from him lips.

"Perhaps someone with the similar tendencies like you? You're keeping it yourself now.." Takamiya scoffed.

Yuuki was puzzled. It was her turn to slowly start drowning in frustration. The two are clearly going to exclude her. She hated it. Nevertheless, she scooped the book up into her arms. Now she has it, together with the remnants of Zero's blood, all she needs was the redhead's reluctant cooperation to initiate whatever spell that could enable to lead her to Zero. _I don't care why Takamiya tried to hide the book. It's acceptable that he doesn't trust purebloods, _she reasoned. _I'll get what I came here for. _However, the growing tension between Kaname and Takamiya could jeopardize her objectives.

"My alleged _tendencies_ are none of your business. Answer or I'll make her threat into reality and make sure you enjoy your final rest on that metal surface to the fullest," Kaname hissed through gnashed teeth. She was aware of his dislike towards hunters but to her, he was clearly overreacting.

In turn, Takamiya slid his fingers in his tousled red hair like a lazy feline, got up and glared boldly at Kaname, "Hear that, Kuran Yuuki-san? Know that of you put a black ink near you, you'll be black but if you put a bad person near you, you'll be bad. Why'd you choose this twisted character over Zero? I pity you."

Kaname grabbed the hunter by the collar and lifted him off his feet. The hunter let out a choked protest as he tried to kick his way free. Yuuki could not stifle her gasp and uselessly tried to pull the unmoving arm back down. It was getting out of control.

Without thinking, she reached down for Artemis, and drove one end into Kaname's abdomen just enough to make him release the squirming hunter onto the floor. "Stop it both of you!"

"What's going on with you, Kaname!" she screamed at him. He wore a shocked expression, clutching his assaulted midsection. The blow was not sufficient to harm him but she was sure he was chagrined by her actions. "We need him to get to them!" she raised her voice again, expecting a retort or reprimand from him, but he kept staring at her in disbelief. So, she turned her attention to the other source of her dissatisfaction.

Takamiya was rubbing his neck, chuckling at the odd events while crouching on his heels like an impudent brat until she marched at him and yanked him half up to her eyelevel. It was the green eyed hunter's turn to stare at her uneasily. "I don't need you to speak in riddles and waste precious time, Takamiya Kaito-san. Although, I would so love to pummel you in my brother's place for lying about this book in my face even if it'll start a war. It's time to get on and find a way to trace Zero. Can or can't you?" she glared at him fiercely prior to releasing him.

The hunter stared at her wide eyed. Kaname had a hand covering half of his face. That was the pose he always had if he was contemplating or anticipating something and Yuuki thought she knew, "Whose house is this, Takamiya-san?"

Before, the hunter could answer, she heard one of the double doors swing open and someone stepped in. "That would be me," a low breathy male voice echoed in the room. Takamiya paled and searched to look elsewhere. Kaname rested his left hand on the desk and faced the newcomer with an uncharacteristic sternness.

She could positively confirm the man as an experienced hunter from his lack of presence. _A hunter could always blend into his surroundings. How long has he been behind that door listening? _She could not see his face under the heavy olive green hooded coat he wore. A hunter coat. Zero had wore one on some occasions. The man was covered by the smell of mud, rain and whiffs of vampire blood. _Has he just returned from a hunt? It must be the case.. _His voice was calm and had a soothing quality to it, "So you have gone over your distaste for vampires, Kaito-kun? You've even brought purebloods over, I'm impressed."

"I haven't sensei. Something happened to that boy and I have to bring them along to try out the tracing spell in that book," Takamiya replied in suppressed irritation and pointed at the large book in clutched at her side.

"What happened to Zero? You lost him, Kaito-kun?" he asked and closed the door carefully. _Aren't you mad at Takamiya for admitting us in? _Yuuki watched him hang a _katana_ on a wooden peg by the door. The weapon gave off the disturbingly strong smell of blood. She still could not see his face underneath the hood but she could tell that he was about as tall as Kaname. Speaking of Kaname, he had not moved an inch from his current spot. It was as if he was assessing the mysterious hunter.

"He disappeared," came the curt reply. _Takamiya chose not to disclose about the vampires' accusation of Zero kidnapping Aidou? _She found that even stranger. _Didn't the hunters circulate the news of Zero's disappearance?_

The hooded man paused and then turned at them, "Really?" He stepped forward and placed his gloved right fingers under his chin, weighing the news. He did not react to the presence of not one, but two pure-blooded vampires like typical hunters. She had expected some type of degrading remarks or something along that line from him especially when they had been caught in his home. That alone can be manipulated and politicised to the Hunter Association's advantage.

"This is Kuran Yuuki. It's complicated but she's the one who had tamed him and as notorious as he is that other one there needs no introduction," Takamiya could seriously hold a grudge. "I'm sorry for barging in like this but it was that jerk that blew your cupboard," he accused. It was mostly Kaname's fault in the first place. She looked over to Kaname hoping he would not do anything rash again. Thankfully, he had regained his impeccable sensibility and chose to let Takamiya run the show. It was no longer their game anymore.

"It's just a cupboard and I'm sure your temper had to do something with that too," there was a light amusement in the man's tone. "It's an honour to meet you Kuran Kaname-san," he said while pulling his hood down. "I just came back from an assignment, so forgive me for forgetting my manners."

Yuuki had expected the man to resemble the portraits she had saw earlier but instead of dark hair and eyes, she was startled by the intense brownish yellow eyes boring into hers. They were almost golden, obscured by long dark lashes. She had the impression that he was rather old by the wet whitish grey hair tied at the base of his neck. She could be wrong but, his strikingly sharp pale face resembled a man in his forties. The thing that astonished her the most was how much he resembled the currently missing vampire hunter. If Zero could learn how to smile, he would have look even more exotically striking than his older doppelganger standing before them. Unlike her, Kaname coolly stared at the newly arrived hunter.

"I'm Tomohisa Atsushi, Zero and Kaito's former instructor," his smile morphed into a snigger.

* * *

A/N- Wohooo.. Finished reading? *smiles* You like? Don't like? Sorry for being late. If you're confused about some of the going ons here.. I'm afraid you'll have to traverse back to the previous chapters. And sorry for making our highness Kuran Kaname a victim of OOCness. I couldn't resist. Thanks for reading! Xoxo

It's true that this story did not do well interms of getting reviews but regardless, I would still continue to write (so don't worry). I do monitor the user traffic so I know how many of you read the chapters (I'm so happy). I'll maintain my excuse of being rather too busy with work the reason for updating erratically.. I would like to humbly thank **Iloveaidou3 **_(your review is NOT pointless)_**, MysticMaiden 18, Tharrow,Iridescent Wind, rinako, k1216, Bluebird **for reviewing this story till today (16/01/11). Especially Kim bcoz you're such an inspiration. None of it has gone to waste and I do hope to hear from the others as well. And to the lot who LIKES to demand LEMON through PMs.. I'm aware that I'll never get much response unless yaoi is in the plot. Nevertheless...I CHALLENGE YOU TO LEAVE YOUR PERVERTED SUGGESTIONS AS REVIEWS FOR THE REST TO SEE! and maybe I will change my mind. *grins* Maybe. As for **Iridescent Wind, k1216, Seren Rose, X6shinX**; thank you 4 adding this story as one of your favourites. And not forgetting **DreamsRemorse, Iridescent Wind, ItaFearMe, LordLoveless AKA AoiYume-sama, MysticMaiden 18, Tharrow; **I'm flattred that you felt that this strory is worth to be on your alert list.

**RANDOM-** If you had the time, try to check out a MV by "8eight - Without a Heart" on youtube. It as a ZeKi feel to it. *sniffs* Maybe. Don't ask, just go watch it and you'll see.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**Warning:**Face sucking action at the end of this chapter. Skip it if you feel like it. Very mild but I did warn you just in case.

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 10

"This is Kuran Yuuki. It's complicated but she's the one who had tamed him and as notorious as he is that other one there needs no introduction," Takamiya's tone did nothing to disguise his hate towards vampires. Towards him.

"I'm sorry for barging in like this but it was that jerk that blew your cupboard," the insolent hunter accused like a six year old brat. Yuuki had a pleading look on her face, almost like a worried mother begging him to behave. So he did nothing but stare at the mysterious hooded hunter who was studying the mess in silence, not even acknowledging their presence. _Just another typical arrogantly ignorant imbecile like Yagari._

"It's just a cupboard and I'm sure your temper had to do something with that too," said the hooded one. He smelt like death. Pungent vampire blood shrouded him like plumes of dust. Something about the mingling scents was off, told his instincts. "It's an honour to meet you Kuran Kaname-dono," he said while pulling his hood down. "I just came back from an assignment, so forgive me for forgetting my manners."

He got a good look at him. _Kiriyu? _He thought for a second. _'s not him_. Kaname coolly stared at the newly arrived hunter. The smiling hunter had the same shade of silver hair tied back in leather cords. The hunter was sizing him up. He hated the sharp amber eyes that were fearlessly staring right back at him, a powerful pureblood vampire like he was a common insect. _Well, well, well.. You have guts._ He hated him simply because he resembled that impertinent Kiriyu Zero. He was unfamiliar with the hunter family's history. The two might be related to share some common familial resemblance. But to his knowledge, only the Kiriyus had that shade of silver.

"I'm Tomohisa Atsushi, Zero and Kaito's former instructor," sneering, the hunter shifted his gaze to Yuuki. She was unfazed but he could tell the brown haired girl had something on her mind. Yuuki might be gullible at times but he felt he could trust her judgement this time especially after that daring stunt she pulled to get him from ripping Takamiya's throat out.

Instantly, Kaname remembered the laminated photograph he found earlier. His temper started to boil again as the image flashed in his mind. _A 'teacher' wouldn't do such things to his 'pupil'._ Takamiya's reaction when he saw it was enough to tell him that there was more to it and he shall find it all out.

"So Kaito, you wanted that book to get Zero?" Tomohisa moved towards the shattered cupboard and started picking up the pieces of scattered paper. Takamiya nodded and immediately helped him. The hunter completely ignored the fact he had enemies in his territory and continued to lecture the redhead, "I can't say I'm not upset with your intrusion.. And for dragging the Kurans along your reckless ride. I can't believe you've brought purebloods to my home. Where did that entire vampire hating bravado of yours disappear to? Have you lost your mind? What if the nobles thought that you've blackmailed them to come here by force? Do we need another war in our hands? I understand that you need that book but you should have called me about it."

"Sorry, sensei. Won't happen again," the redhead responded, not looking at the older hunter.

Tomohisa stood up, walked over pass him to the desk and piled the paper in a messy heap. He had his gaze set upon Takamiya who was still busy cleaning up the destruction, "You know very well that I care as much as you do for Zero despite of what he had become. I'll do anything for his sake." He suspected the words held a hidden meaning as soon as Takamiya froze. Kaname observed the two silently, collecting the pieces. _There's more to this and Takamiya knows. He had tried to hide the book, his strong reaction to that wretched picture, and now he is all obedient and compliant. Who is this Tomohisa?_

The older let out an exasperated sigh, "Forgive my rudeness, Kuran-dono. I was engrossed in being disappointed in him that I forgot that the two of you are here. I don't really know what's going on but if you wanted to find Zero through the taming tattoo, you've come to the right place."

"So it is possible?" Yuuki spoke up. Her anxiety showed and she still had the red book clutched firmly at her side.

The silver haired hunter smiled kindly and nodded, "Yes. But you'll need some of his blood too."

"I have it," she replied firmly.

"Good. Then Kaito-kun should go on and help you with it,"

Takamiya stiffened again. He set the things he had collected aside and dusted his coat awkwardly but said nothing as if he was cautious of Tomohisa or he was feeling guilty of his intrusion and was anticipating a punishment. The older hunter had the air of a cunningly strict teacher. Not surprisingly, Tomohisa's amber hued eyes lit up in satisfaction. Kaname did not have to know the two well to tell that they had something else going on. He had the urge to strap the two hunters down and interrogate and bleed the facts out of them. The hunters did not say anything to one another for a few seconds. Yuuki fiddled with the ends of her hair in that uncomfortable silence. He shot her a look and she stopped, pursing her lips nervously.

"Won't you help sensei? We're running out of time as we speak," it was Takamiya who had spoken. Tomohisa's smile diminished by a few millimetres and he sighed, "I want to Kaito, but as much as I care for him, I can't. I had specific orders to not to get myself into any matters which directly involves Zero unless it was by the association's formal instruction. I wouldn't have known about this _disappearance _of his if it was not for all of you coming here. I hate to say this but.. You're on your own,"

"You can't possibly say that, Tomohisa-san. ." protested Yuuki.

"I'm afraid orders stands as orders and I'll abide them unquestioningly," he clarified. He was no longer smiling. Takamiya averted his gaze elsewhere to avoid Tomohisa's glare. Yuuki said nothing.

"Fine," Kaname took the book from Yuuki, studying the bronze wolf emblem that decorated the spine, "We shall take our leave, Tomohisa-san. But we would have to borrow this and Takamiya too of course." he said while gazing coldly at the redhead who in turn looked intently back at him in disbelief.

"Be my guess. I hope you'll find Zero soon. As unstable as he is, something bad might happen if he's compromised. The taming tattoo wouldn't be enough to stop him from falling to Level-E. We'll be forced to put him on the list," Tomohisa sounded earnest but Kaname believed otherwise. Yuuki had tears welling in her eyes. _No doubt she's worried again._ Takamiya kept quiet, studying the _katana_ hanging by the metal door.

"How would you know that?" Yuuki was fighting back her tears and she was angry. "He won't lose that easily."

The bitter smile graced Tomohisa's face once again, "Because I was the one who tattooed that ink on him and although he seemed unbreakable, I've pushed him beyond his limits before."

000000000

"Leave me here and escape, senpai. It's not worth it." Kiriyu tried to pry himself away. B_ravo! Pick this time to be selfless and I'll sacrifice you for sure._ The silver bangs were plastered over his dimming red eyes. He was weak but it was so unlike Kiriyu to give up. _But who knows? It's not like we're friends.._

He whacked the vampire hunter hard on the head. "Should I punch you? After I got skewered to save you? Yuuki-sama would castrate me if I leave you here. I don't care if you don't feel like it but pick another vampire to die on, please. Shut up and move!" He may he yelled that too loudly because the rumbling footsteps started again, followed by some ear deafening booms on the east side of the building. _Please, please move stupid. _The pests had scaled their way down.

He growled in frustration when Kiriyu refused to budge. "Move, Kiriyu!" he shouted, not caring if his voice gave away their exact location in the old slaughter freezer. He coiled the long chain dangling from Kiriyu's shackles in his left hand and used his might to haul him towards the door. Kiriyu was exerting his energy to control his breathing and keep up from being half-carried half-dragged by him. The wet muddied floor made it harder for him to keep his balance but at least the gangly teen was cooperating.

"Why do you have to grow so tall, dumbass? God must really hate me.." he complained. Kiriyu didn't answer back. Aidou got a good look at the real extent Kiriyu had sustained. The injured hands should belong to a week old rotting corpse and he could feel the bare clammy vampire hunter's skin fractioning against his skin underneath the torn silk shirt. Kiriyu was like a lump of half-dead carcass. The vampire hunter was extremely weak, that he could tell. Nonetheless, his consideration to staying back to die infuriated him. _I'll protect you no matter what to the end. I'll show you. Oh.. That sounds so wrong. Whatever! _

He pushed the door open and snuck a hesitant peek at the unmoving Takahashi. Kiriyu coughed as the result of the sudden jerk. "He'll be torn to pieces," croaked the vampire hunter. He had read his mind.

"He signed his own doom the minute he betrayed me," he murmured and Kiriyu replied nothing but no doubt he could feel his conflict. The strange hunter was too soft-hearted for his own good. _He bared his neck for you Hanabusa. What do you expect? _Grouchily, he kicked hinged the door shut and locked it. "There. He stands a chance all right. Stop pouting and focus on living!"

There was an eerie moment of silence and he could feel the Es closing in. Both of them were caked in dried blood and there were no way the vile creatures would miss them. Kiriyu would not like it but he would have to stop them alone before they could get to Kiriyu because the said hunter was in no shape to fight. _Like he'll ever admit that fact. _Hurriedly, he dragged the confused vampire hunter to a corner where a cluster of old rusty drum bin were lined and dumped him and the black haversack behind them. Aidou saw a metal meat hook on the floor, picked it up and trusted it into Kiriyu's metal bound hands, "I know you're capable of fighting but please let me handle this one." Kiriyu looked pissed and was about to snarl something out but he kicked the teen in the ribs, sending him into a coughing fit. "Just stay down!" he barked and raced to the front.

After several deafening bangs, the front door of the warehouse flew open and he immediately saw three silhouettes standing against the black painted night. Their tattered, mud covered clothing was not enough to mask the smell of rot and death that spewed and cloaked around them. Like typical Level-Es, their eyes glowed in bloodlust. _What the hell? _They were blazing yellow instead of the anticipated red. _The drugs! _Moreover, he could sense something very wrong.

"Get his head!" an awfully familiar voice roared in the background. _Oh, hello Mr. Ogre..._ Simultaneously, the three Level-Es screeched and charged at him. One of them was a woman with long brown dirty hair and her once red coloured dress was reduced to rags. Her face contorted in her drugged bloodthirsty frenzy. She took a swipe at him with the elongated claws but he managed to dodge and sent her crashing several feet away with a kick to her side. Her shrill yell made his hair stood on its ends.

The two males closed in, baring their fangs. Aidou lunged forward and twisted the head off of one of them with all his might. _Ewwww! Get rid of it!_ His mind screamed and he flung the grotesque head away through the door. The body floundered violently in search of the missing head before disintegrating into dust. _That was too easy. _His strength was back. _Now..As for my ice._ He concentrated, summoning it but nothing happened. _Shit!_

All of a sudden, something collided with him and he crashed onto the floor. It was a boy about Kiriyu's age. The other male E had moved faster than he had anticipated, straddled and pinned him down, raising his sharp right claws above his head to drive it straight for his heart. He felt it, the sickening tow in his loins when he knew that he had messed up. He could see the female E in the distance, licking her lips in anticipation from the corner of his eye.

But the male's hand stopped mid-way, and blood spurted from its left shoulder. He caught the glint of curved metal embedded in the wound. _Who? _Then he realized. _Stupid Kiriyu!_ The male E was wrenched backwards, and his vision was locked onto a wheezing silver haired vampire hunter. The freshly bloodied meat hook was held firmly in his hands. Kiriyu's eyes were burning red, stimulated by the heavy scent of blood.

It was Kiriyu's turn to be pounced. The female E had all her clawed fingers around his neck, screeching loudly while smashing and pounding the vampire hunter's head repeatedly against the concrete floor. _She's not going to bite him?_ Kiriyu roared in rage and kneed her in the stomach, sending her flying off in a red blur. Aidou got back onto his feet, rushed over to the disorientated Kiriyu and pulled him up, "I told you to stay down!"

"Like I would listen to you..." whispered the vampire hunter hoarsely while shaking his giddy head. "They're strange."

"Tell me something I don't know," he pushed the vampire hunter away before the crazed female could hurtle into them. She landed perfectly on all fours and took a swipe at Kiriyu back and shrieked delightedly licking his blood. The vampire hunter seized the moment to deliver a vicious kick into her face, crunching bones and cartilage into messy pulp. The E let out an anguished scream and tried to scamper away but Kiriyu had grabbed one of her ankles, pulled her down and drove the meat hook swiftly into her heart. She exploded into dust.

However, both of them had overlooked the injured young E who had been waiting for his chance to attack. The E charged into Kiriyu, knocking the makeshift weapon off his hands. Aidou had anticipated the E to skewer him with it but instead, it grabbed him by the hair and pushed him face first onto the floor. The E licked the long cut on Kiriyu's back, chortling in delight, "Yesss... Master had told me you are delicious.."

_Master? Must be that sicko.. _Aidou observed the glowing yellow eyes changed to red as it bared it's fangs to sink it. _Finally, behaving like an E.._ He has seen enough so he used his vampire speed to sprint towards it and elbowed the unguarded E in the neck, crushing the windpipe but not enough to kill it. Kiriyu got up to his knees and bashed the screeching E repeatedly with his anti-vampire shackles in the head, splattering singed E blood and grey matter onto himself making Aidou cringe. _Count on Kiriyu to fight like a Neanderthal._ Any implications of Tomohisa so far were enough to trigger him mad and senseless. He would let Kiriyu vent out his craziness because he had a bigger fish to catch.

Then he saw his target, the pea-brained lumbering hunter was scurrying out of the warehouse like a big-fat giant rat. Aidou turned on his heels and intercepted the giant at the main entrance. Grinning, he punched the man in the face, careful not to damage it so much. Mr. Ogre howled in pain and quickly brandish out his weapon. A two feet long club like weapon with a spiked end. _Oh yikes.. A morning star. That's so drearily medieval.._ Blood dripped from the stumpy nose into his mouth, staining the crooked teeth red. Aidou licked his lips just to rattle the man.

"Do NOT kill him!" he heard Kiriyu's warning. _Hey.. Give me some credit Kiriyu._

Mr. Ogre let out his battle yell and swung the spiky thing at him. He dodged, swooped low and kicked the man in his right kneecap before rolling out of the way. As expected, the clumsy giant howled in pain before crashing down like rotten timbre. The oaf still managed to hold onto the weapon and swung it dangerously close to his right foot. It snagged the leg of his filthy dress pants and tore it. Aidou leaped back out of range but he could hear Kiriyu dragging himself closer to the fight. _Stupid moron! I could handle this just fine!_

During his brief distraction to search for Kiriyu, the fallen hunter had done something he had not anticipated because he could no longer move his bare feet. They were grounded solid onto the floor because he was standing on a flickering webbed ring of some sort. _Shit fuck! Hunter crafts.. Shit, shit, shit!_ The ugly mammoth of a man snorted, let out a horrid satisfied guffaw as he got up to his feet to take a swing with that blasphemous piece of weapon. _No, I refuse to die in the hands of something this ugly! No, no, no, no! Kaname-sama, please help me!_ Panic engulfed him.

However, Mr. Ogre's cackle was punctuated by a spluttered choke. Aidou could not pin-point the source but he could clearly see the chains that were tightly coiled around the hunter's neck. The vampire hunter had somehow managed to wrap the free, cement encrusted end of the chain attached to his shackles as a weapon. Kiriyu was either a genius, had worked part-time as a gaucho herding cattle, or a sick combat maniac to improvise the thing like a _bolas _because the cemented end was a perfect substitute for a counterweight for the chain.

Finally, Aidou got a good glimpse at the silver haired vampire hunter staggering form when the teen stepped on the long chain with his foot so that the man was forced to crash down violently headfirst back onto the floor. _Timbre! Gotcha Mr. Ogre.. _The menacingly spiky weapon cluttered a few feet away. Kiriyu managed to glare at him before dropping down to his knees in, coughing and heaving.

As soon as the paralyzing web dispersed, Aidou sprung onto the struggling giant, applying pressure onto the wrangled neck and let a manic grin permanently plastered on his face, "Credits to you for pulling that fancy-schmancy voodoo on me. Too bad you've forgotten Kiriyu's so in love with me that he'll save me no matter what," the silver haired vampire hunter could kill him later because he was thoroughly enjoying the disgusted look on the human's face.

"You know what I'm going to do to you, hunter?" He wrapped the longer end of the chain around his hand and yanked it tighter. The skin on his palms hissed as it was burned by the anti-vampire metal but he clamped down the pain. It would heal. Mr. Ogre's eyes bulged as he choked and spluttered for air. He clawed at the coils around his neck in his futile effort to loosen it. The oaf was convinced he was going to die and that made the blond grin wider.

0000000000

"Kaname!" she called after him. "Wait!" He turned back and saw her hurrying alongside the red haired hunter towards him. Their urgent steps echoed loudly in the dark wet tunnel. The three of them had taken their leave from the grey washed, shiny hunter morgue through the double steel doors. According to the despicable hunter called Tomohisa, they should emerge from the transportation tunnel somewhere at the west side of the hill. He had called for the chauffer to wait for them there. The silver haired hunter had not been lying about the tunnel's main function, to enable trucks, cars or even hearses to transport dead bodies in and out of the place. Tire tracks and potholes covered the soft ground and he could smell the faint traces of exhaust fumes off the granite walls.

Finally, the two caught up to him. Yuuki was panting in the exertion while Takamiya wore a uninterested expression. Kaname resumed his pace and Yuuki groaned in protest, hugging the heavy old book closer to her torso. Her delicate shoes were spoilt, dirtied, covered with grime but she did not seem to care and yelled, "Why are you so mad, Kaname. Wait up!" He could smell fresh air up ahead and heard the faint sound of the idling car engine so he quickened his pace.

Outside, the chauffer was waiting, standing alert with his sword securely sheathed by his side. The beams from the headlights cut through the starless nightscape. He nodded to Kaname and opened the passenger's door. A few seconds later, Yuuki emerged from behind the dark foliage covered entrance with an edgy looking hunter trailing close behind her.

"Hand it to me, Takamiya," he commanded, stretching out his right hand. The hunter cocked his head to one side and scrunched his forehead in feigned puzzlement. Kaname felt his temper boiling, "Give me the sword. Now!"

Much to Yuuki's astonishment, Takamiya made a cheeky face, reached back under his long olive green coat and produce an elegant black sheathed _katana_ and threw it over to his ready hands, "Good man, you make a perfect thief." He mockingly complimented the redhead who in turn snorted back disdainfully. The three of them gathered closer together to examine the weapon.

Yuuki gathered her hair to one side and prodded the thing with her forefinger, "I can't believe you took it, Takamiya-san. Is this the one Zero's master hung by the door? It's not hunter-made." Then she arched her eyebrows in shock and pulled the blade partially out by the haft.

"Now what?" asked the redhead. "I took it only because I knew it does not belong to Tomohisa-sensei," he quipped.

Kaname tugged it gently out of Yuuki's grasp and turned the scabbard over, revealing a unique three-petal flower enclosed in a complete circle engraved on the haft. Yuuki inhaled sharply and fingered the design, "This symbol belongs to the Aidou clan. I saw it a few times before. What does this means, Kaname? And this scent.."

She noticed it, the familiar but mingled scent of Kiriyu's blood. Obviously the distracting second contributor must be Aidou and another unidentified vampire but to his knowledge, the blond had never carried or owned a sword to begin with. He ignored her and glared distrustfully at the suddenly placid Takamiya, "You planned this didn't you? You knew of the book, the photograph, and that master of yours."

Yuuki's eyes widened in disbelief and she stepped closer to him, clutching his left arm for security, "Planned? Takamiya-san?"

The redhead sighed and shook his head, "Believe what you want but seriously, I don't really know what you're getting at. I had a hunch, all right? The minute I heard Zero going AWOL, that character you met back there popped into my head. A hunch, get it? You saw _that thing_ right?" He must have been meaning the laminated piece of profanity. _Yes, I did. And I abhorred it._ The piece of photograph was still lying uselessly in his coat pocket. He could tell Yuuki wanted to tear it out from him to get a look but she kept her composure and glared at him instead.

Takamiya continued his defence, "The princess's request to use the taming tattoo is worth checking it out. What did you noses tell you, vampires? Am I right?"

"You might be. But I don't appreciate being stage-managed like a common hoodwink. Especially by a callous hunter like you," he seethed. Yuuki held on to him tighter as if cautioning him not to flare out in his impending rage. _Why am I so upset over that worthless Level-D? _Takamiya turned his gaze elsewhere and smacked his lips worriedly. Kaname knew his eyes had turned a shade redder than the usual brown. The chauffer must have sensed his displeasure and had placed a wary hand on the hilt of his own sword.

It was Yuuki's turn to speak, "Come to think of it, Takamiya-san had never said that it was Zero who had been missing. Tomohisa-san came out with that on his own."

_-FLASHBACK-_

"_So you have gone over your distaste for vampires, Kaito-kun? You've even brought purebloods over, I'm impressed."_

"_I haven't sensei. Something happened to that boy and I have to bring them along to try out the tracing spell in that book," _

"_What happened to Zero? You lost him, Kaito-kun?" _

-_END-_

"Fine, my gravest apologies. Nevertheless, we have a lead now. I'll report back to Cross," suggested the hunter. Yuuki shifted her eyes from the hunter to him, waiting for his support in the matter.

However, Kaname was not thoroughly convinced, "Do that, Yuuki will make sure of it. She'll deal with you in case you're building another armada of lies. Then, you'll assist her to track down Kiriyu using that alleged spell of whatsoever. I've sent Akatsuki over there earlier."

Yuuki released his arm and held his gaze worriedly. She reached up to gently stoke his cheek and intuitively he leaned in to the touch. He had the impression that she had casted him aside in neglect in her worry for the two before but he had been proven wrong. "What about you, Kaname?" She asked in concern. Takamiya scoffed at their open display of affection and muttered something like _sappy vamps and incest._ Kaname chose to ignore the idiot.

"Go. No need to be anxious over me," he smiled at her before dispersing in a flurry of flapping black winged creatures.

Yuuki had her lips pursed into a bitter smile. She seemed lonely clutching the book close like a lost ghostly pale girl with her long brown hair fluttering in the wind. _Let her grow. Trust her, _said his inner voice. Takamiya looked up with his arms crossed, almost happy to have him out of his hair. As for the hunter, although as devious as he was, Kaname could temporarily count on Takamiya Kaito for keeping harm from getting to his beloved. _Except, he is not as trustworthy as Kiriyu Zero._

0000000000

"Stop playing around, princess!" he heard Kiriyu's raspy voice in the background. _Oh right, he's just at the other end of the fucking chain. _Aidou could no longer feel the vampire hunter's presence. It's either he was masking it or he was too weak to emit his _vampire_ _waves._ Aidou settled on the latter hypothesis. He had to do something fast. _Dead Kiryu means no Kiriyu, and no Kiriyu, slim chance to get that memory fragment back. Fuck!_

Mr. Ogre's frantic gurgle snapped him back to reality, "Oh, sorry. I forgot about you for a moment there." Aidou tightened the chain and watched the oaf's eyes roll slightly back, and released the pressure. Immediately, Mr. Ogre spluttered from the sudden intake of air. Aidou raised the head off the floor and slammed it back down roughly. The hunter was breathing hard. _Why does this seem a way bit off? _

"Quit it Aidou! You fucking gross!" barked Kiriyu. Aidou looked over to the vampire hunter who had an extremely sickened expression on his face and it was not due to his injuries or bloodlust. Then it dawned upon him. _Eeewww! He got the wrong idea. Oh, fuck! Ewwww..._

In his disgust, Aidou slapped the hunter a bit too hard across the face, cutting his cheek in the process. The small of his blood made him wanted to heave. _And I thought all hunter's blood should taste like Kiriyu's. Bummer! _Mr. Orge snarled back so he applied the pressure back. "Sorry pal, Kiriyu just never permits me to do breath-play with anybody else but I couldn't resist to experiment," he smirked deviously and consequently heard the silver haired vampire grunt out in revulsion. He eased the constriction and let the man breath again.

"Now listen and do as I say or I'll kill you. Do you read?" Aidou taunted his captive. Mr. Ogre tried to push him off but he immediately strangled him again. The hunter nodded his head urgently in forced agreement so Aidou smiled wickedly and demanded, "First, free Kiriyu. No tricks or I'll twist your head off so fast you won't even have the chance to scream for mommy. Get it?"

Mr. Ogre glared at him with his glazed, bloodshot eyes and reluctantly nodded. "Not convincing enough, fat boy," he jeered, tightening the chains again. The hunter opened his mouth in desperation and gurgled out his concurrence. "Good," he grinned and eased his hold. _Hey, hey..This is fun. _He was beginning to enjoy himself.

"Git im clo'er," Mr. Ogre croaked. The chains must have damaged his vocal chords. _Woopps..._

Looking over his shoulder, Aidou beckoned Kiriyu to move closer but the vampire hunter refused, "He can fucking do that from there." With that information, Aidou snapped his gaze back onto the obese hunter and increased the strain on the chains again. "Do it before I decide to squeeze your neck tight into a sausage!" he was beginning to lose his patience.

Anticipating a trick, he gripped the hunter's chin with his left hand and twisted it far to one side as if to snap it off at any second. Unsurprisingly, the lumbering mammoth complied. There was the familiar warmth surging in the chains and he heard Kiriyu throw the now deactivated shackles onto the floor.

"Put it on him, Kiriyu," he ordered. The vampire hunter shot him a bored, tired look, but reach over and silently snapped it on Mr. Ogre. Satisfied, he flashed a teasing grin at the glowering Kiriyu, "Thanks my dear." In response, Kiryu rolled his still red tainted eyes. Too bad Kiriyu was feeling _under the weather_, or else he would have been rewarded with a string of colourfully explosive insults.

Aidou got up to his feet and did his best to dust off his destroyed dress pants and made a quick assessment on his torn, once cream coloured silk shirt, "Oh, my mom's so going to kill me. It's all ruined," he whined sardonically. The restrained hunter tried to scoot off and run away but he caught him squirming by the collar like a six year-old brat and hauled him back onto the floor.

"Now, now.. Stay still," he pretended to coax the man and grasped the top of the man's head violently. "If you think we vampire's don't have some voodoo tricks of our own, then you're wrong, Mister Hunter," he leered, letting some of his energy seep through the man's cranium into his brain. _Behave like an obedient doggy like you're supposed to till I tell you otherwise,_ he commanded before releasing the man. The effect may be temporary considering his current limitations to his vimpiric abilities but even so, the traitorous hunter sank down onto his knees, eyes blank and passive as Aidou wanted him to be. Kiriyu watched whole event in grim silence.

The blond smirked at the vampire hunter who was staggering up onto his feet. Despite of his compromised state, Kiriyu Zero's pale luminous skin and fiercely fiery determination overshadowed his weaknesses. Pleased with the rare sight, Aidou stepped up closer to him and stared squarely at those tantalizing red stained, amethyst orbs. The thirst was getting out of control, he could very much tell because although the vampire hunter tried to suppress it mainly by controlling his erratic breathing, the lust was reflected in those eyes like they were crystalline glass mirrors.

"As for you, my tragic Melpomene. Let's do something about your pain," he smiled sinisterly at the silver haired vampire while reaching up, letting his right fingers brush against that perfectly ashen skin marked by the intimidating but intricate tattoo on the left side of his neck. Kiriyu stiffened and grasped his wrist roughly in his attempt to push them away but Aidou had the upper hand in terms of strength. Unperturbed, the blond swiftly laced both of his hands in that silvery tresses, behind those exotically pierced ears and pulled the vampire hunter's head down beside his own. He could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears but he had made his resolve.

Kiriyu snarled in his futile defiance, released the wrists and placed them against the blond's violently beating chest. "You think I like this, Kiriyu?" he hissed. "Do you think I really want to do this?" he asked, sensing the vampire hunter's rage while holding him firmly by the head. He turned the glowering vampire's face towards his. _I won't make this too easy for you._

Aidou smirked and bit his own tongue repeatedly, cutting and tearing it till the welling blood seeped past his lips; he was sure the scent had hit Kiriyu's senses hard because he saw the fangs lengthening past those discoloured lips, unable to resist the temptation any longer. _Oh hell, you're so stubborn that you'll end up dead, arrogant prick! Hah!_

"Fuck princess, let go! " Kiriyu barked in his face.

"Oh, I will, once you've done just the same," Aidou whispered it so sarcastically soft as he moved in to lick those vile sensuously insolent lips, teasing them and smearing them with his own blood. His impulsive act both repulsed and intrigued him simultaneously. "Now we can both let go, don't you think?" he teased, parting his lips in deliberate slowness, letting a trace of the crimson sinful life source spill down his chin. Kiriyu's eyes immediately burned red and trailed it downwards like a predator.

It was too late for Aidou to regret or back off because the vampire hunter had jerked his head back and erased the bloody trickle with his soft tongue; licking his way sinuously up from the side of the blond vampire's neck up to his jaw, his chin and his lips. _Oh shit, fuck! What the hell?_ His nerves burned from the sensation and to his horror, he shivered involuntarily and his own fangs elongated in his frantic confusion. Kiriyu had lost himself because soon, he was sucking off the blonds' lips hard enough to bruise. _Shit!_

Accidentally, he released his hold on Kiriyu's head and the silver haired vampire hunter seized the opportunity to catch the noble's mouth, covering it with his own. Sucking and lapping the blood in unrestrained fervour. _Curse my fucking God make him stop.. Shit, shit, shit!_

He got another electrifying shock when the vampire hunter's tongue caressed his, sucking on it to get it to bleed more. Those long, graceful fingers had buried themselves in his hair, supporting his neck as Kiriyu leaned more into him, causing him to throw his head back and claw at the strong broad shoulders to prevent him to completely lose his leverage.

As the result he had unintentionally pulled himself flush against Kiriyu firmly muscled torso and worse, he had gripped the shoulders too hard, breaking the skin, puncturing it with his sharp fingernails; drawing blood. Stifling a moan, he felt his own bloodlust surfacing when he caught a whiff of the silver haired vampire's unusual flavour.

_He smelt like the purebloods. Of sin, of pleasure and of authority. Stop it, I want none of it! _

But automatically, he wanted to experience it again like the time Kiriyu had brought him back with his blood; to have that wonderfully delicious liquid wash over his palette, seeping into his loins and reliving that indescribably delightful high.

_And the power that comes with it._

The tattoo on the side of Kiriyu's neck blazed fiercely and those sinewy thick bluish veins taunted him to puncture them with his fangs and lap up the glorious blood surging within. Suddenly, Kiriyu fisted his hair and yanked so hard that he screamed out in pain. Then he felt it, Kiriyu's sharp hot canines ghosting against his quivering skin; anticipating the rupture. "Just do it!" he hissed furiously at the vampire hunter.

The vampire hunter let out an indistinct groan and then, he felt them. He felt the razor-like columns push deeper and deeper into his yielding flesh. Veins punctured and the sound of his rushing blood deafened his sensed. He felt helplessly submissive; like a rat bitten and paralyzed by a venomous viper. Strangely, he was engulfed in unexplained warmth, every of his sensitive nerve endings lit up and responded to Kiriyu's punishing hold on him. He felt it, the pressure of each and every fingers that were indented into his skin, the sharp stabs of the half-moon fingernails, the rippling hard muscles in those arms as the moved on his clothed back tortured him to the edge. Deceiving his brain of the rapid impending danger by masking the pain with adrenaline heightened pleasure.

He could no longer feel his legs and silver haired vampire and brought them both down to their knees. One of Kiriyu's hands had moved down to his back, forcing the blond to arch his spine further while securely supporting his unrelenting neck with the other. Whatever Kiriyu was doing to him, he was helpless and he was diminishing. Fast.

* * *

A/N- Hullo guys. *smirks* Need I say more? It's not too confusing right? Some stuff happened at work and I end up a bit slow and gradually turning dumb. Eeeepp!

Point out any mistakes if you see them coz my brain can't really detect typos or grammatical screw ups too well. I'll amend them afterwards. And a bit of statistic report, this fic had 1,364 hits this year. Sure there are 9 chapters but hey, CONSIDERING THE FEW AIDOU FANS OUT THERE, seeing that much made my day. Thanks!

To **_k1216_**_: _Uh-huh.. you are.I look forward to your reviews (as much as to your fic chapter updates). I'm giving them fangirls (and myself) something to munch/chew/drool on from this point onwards.I just hope this won't get too cliche'. Maybe not too 's for the they're they don't want to review. (*3*) But never mind.I'll write it for you.*grins*.No,I'm not from the States and I don't think my English's that good either.I just like to read like style's different coz it's translated/rephrased from my native language.

To **jezared**: There.. Kiriyu got to Aidou. Hope you're happy, coz I am. *grins* Thanks for reviewing and I highly appreciate it. I'll try my best not to make a '_himbo'_ out of Aidou or a passive log out of Zero. Don't worry, I'll make them try their best to bite each other's head of as often as they can.

And I've updated the other fic **The Black Iris.**

Buh-bye


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**Warning:**Bad language. Naughty language. Some out-of-character-ness. Hints/references/indications to/of child abuse. Lot's more. Read away ...

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 11

The redhead sitting beside her fingered and the plush leather seat he was sitting on and hummed in appreciation, ignoring the sudden jolts and sways the car was experiencing as they head out towards the main road. Tomohisa's residence was located far away off the roads and the unpaved gravel path was covered with giant puddles and potholes. They had been bouncing around in the luxurious interior of the vehicle for at least a quarter of an hour.

"A Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II... " He whistled in unabashed admiration. "No wonder you dumped Zero for the jerk."

Yuuki paid no heed to the hunter's repartee and flipped the heavy book open, studying the yellowing crumbling pages. Much to her dismay, she could not make sense of the messy, unorganized contents. The old pages were covered by scrawls in blotchy ink, hand drawn diagrams, hastily pentacles filled with scratchy runes, dog-eared, and heavily stained. Even the leather cover was dried and cracked; a telltale sign of frequent abuse and it had a suspicious smell; like blood. It looked more like a journal than a real book. Frustration crept up on her as she went through the pages like a madman; flipping through them faster and faster, forgetting her strength and accidentally tore off a page. She stared at it wide eyed; stuffed in back in and instantly regretted that she had paid more attention to Aidou's lessons on reading old script like these.

Takamiya scoffed at her actions but instead of coming out with one of his scathing remarks he smacked his lips derisively and took the book away from her lap. She glared at him when he snapped the book shut and weighed it in his rough hands, his heartbeat thundered in her ears as she intensified her stare at him. He looked like an impish playground bully when he waved the red thing in her face.

"It's not in the pages your highness," he remarked, fingering the intricate bronze wolf head emblem with one callused forefinger. There was nothing extraordinary about it apart from the size of the thing. It could fit snugly in the palms of her hand and much to her shock; he plucked the thing off, blew on it to rid of the dust and dropped it into her lap. "That is exactly what we need to find that Level-D prick," he added. Pretending not to notice Yuuki's wounded glare. She could not stand anybody who degrades Zero.

Looking at him, Yuuki was unsure she could believe the hunter because those clear green eyes bears too much malice for her to trust. He displays hatred her race as much as he breathes air to live. Casting the hunter's presence aside, she studied the heavy bronze carving; flipping it over, discovering a pentagram inscribes with miniscule symbols and more runes etched on the flat surface. She was unsure of what she was about to encounter but showing her insecurities to Takamiya was out of the question.

"I can very much see that," she said, raising the thing up to her eyelevel; marvelling at the exquisite workmanship evident in the emblem. However, there was something about that thing that made her feel uneasy. The metal appears to heat up against her skin and even the wolf seemed alive, ready to howl at her, a vampire; one of the purest of their wretched kind.

"Let's get on to it. What should I do first?"She asked him. He rolled his eyes and pointed at a nearly forgotten bundle by her side. _Great Yuuki, ask a stupid question. _Embarrassed, she hid her flushing face under the veil of her thick lustrous hair. "Here, Zero's blood..." she produced the silk wrapped, blood stained wood she pried off from Zero's apartment and arranged it on her lap. Takamiya touched the white fabric for a fleeting second but withdraws and placed his right hand under his chin; staring at her curiously. Yuuki raised her eyebrows in puzzlement, "What?"

He didn't answer and reached forward and searched the car's control panel, studying it for a few seconds. Then, Takamiya found the thing he was looking for and flicked on the switch which raises the screen between them and the chauffer. Yuuki caught the apprehensive vampire's eyes in the rear view mirror. Silently, she commanded him to stand down and faced the hunter, feeling the reassuring press of Artemis hidden under her skirt; right against her thigh. She'll drive it right through his eye socket if he opts for more sabotage and trickery.

Takamiya fingered his messy fiery bangs and gazed at her with his mistrusting green eyes, "There are a few things I need to know before we do this."

"Well so do I..." she sighed. Takamiya is a hard nut to crack and she hated to admit that he somehow reminds him of Zero; stubborn, foul-mouthed, crass but surprisingly resourceful.

"So ladies first," he sneered while dipping his head in a convoluted, disrespectful bow.

0000000000

He looked around for any sign of the blond noble but he was nowhere in sight. One minute he was mauling the Level-B and the next minute he was there, waiting like a fool; standing in a stark white and empty room. He was wearing his school uniform, the black leather shoes shone like he has spend 13 hours spit-polishing them. _How dandy of me .._ When, he had never touched shoe polish in the last five years of his pitiful lifetime. He must be dead, poisoned dead from ingesting that shamelessly disgusting flirt's blood. _Serves you right._

It was frozen in there; the white walls were encrusted with a thin layer of frost. Somehow everything seemed off, it was supposed to be cold but he did not feel cold. He scraped the leather soles of his shoes on the equally frozen floor, causing the tiny crystalline fragments to disperse like dust. _What the ... heck?_ He wondered and suddenly, the floor tilted violently. Growling in irritation, he had lost his footing and was falling sideways; unable to maintain his balance.

After landing flat on his back, he found himself staring into a pair of deep reddish brown eyes obscures by some dark glossy strands of hair. He had seen them before. A pale graceful hand was extended, waiting for his. They were in some sort of a garden filled with spring flowers and old oaks and he sat up awkwardly on wet, dewy grass littered with dried leaves and stray flower petals.

"Come on, give me your hand. I'll help you up," he knew that voice; that unforgettable dark undertone hidden in the pleasantly kind timbre.

"It's all right. You didn't do anything wrong .." the voice reassured him.

There were something else scattered among the rustling leaves and he saw them; a lone dust filled dress shoe and an equally dusty black pinstriped suit lying uselessly on the ground and there was faint, distant anguished sobs in the background. _What in the world... _He searched for it but he found nothing except that pair of powerfully calm eyes gazing down at him. He could not see the face because bright sunrays were stinging his vision. His guts told him he knew the mysterious stranger too well and despite of the warm reassuring voice he had; the authoritative aura that comes with the boy made him want to bolt and run.

He turned to his right, to the source of the pitiful sobs he was hearing. Another unfamiliar boy with brown hair was crying on the ground, hugging his knees. He could tell that this too like the other one is not human. _Yuck, crying vampire kids... What the fuck is going on?_

"Give me your hand ..." it sounds more like a command despite of the gentle coaxing tone he used.

He reached out tentatively, but before his trembling right hand could come in contact with the boy's, another pair of cold pale ones swiftly wrenched them so forcefully that he had fallen flat onto his back. The two vampire boys were gone, replaced by a squinting pair of darkening amethyst. He caught the flash of light hair glimmering in the sunlight as the newcomer bent over him, laughing airily and warned, "Ah-ah no... Zero!"

He immediately recognized the voice so he reached up to grab each side of the open jacket the person was wearing and pulled him down into an embrace. "Ack, too tight! Lemme go," the person squirmed on top of him, wrestling his arms off and pinned them to the ground by his sides. His vision cleared, leaving him to stare into his own mirror image smiling down at him, "Happy to see me?"

He could not believe his eyes. His dead twin was right there, straddling his waist and grinning like a loony. "Ichiru... Where are we? Am I ..."

"Don't know, don't really care but no, you're not dead," his twin rose to his feet and pulled him up. "But then again... maybe you are goners coz you just bear-hugged me. My Zero doesn't do that," Ichiru snickered while brushing off some blades of grass and a few dried leaves off his jacket.

"Are you real?" he raised his right hand and gently touched the crown of Ichiru's head, ruffling the soft silvery strands; earning a puzzled look from the boy.

"Well, are _you_ real? Coz I'm positive I'm physically dead and this could be some kind of sick torture God panned out for my afterlife."

"I'm real," he replied softly to Ichiru. "But I don't know if _this_ is real. I don't think it is."

Ichiru crossed his arms in front of him, creasing his own uniform, just like the one he used to wear back in the academy. Just like his. He had buried Ichiru in those garbs. Ichiru had never really wanted to become a hunter and he hated suits, tuxedos and other types of 'monkey suits' with fervour, like he does. They were twins after all. So the school uniform was the next best choice. Besides, it made him believe they would really have a different kind of future at the academy if they had not been deeply embroiled with the vampires.

"My dead little gut's telling me that it's not ..." Ichiru tilted his head to one side making the copper bells tied back in his hair tinkle. "Especially when I see those two little bloodsucking cherubs over there," he pointed somewhere to his left.

The scene changed, they were standing in a room filled with books, a library with high ceilings lighted with quaint crystal chandeliers. A young vampire with messy yellow hair and big blue eyes was crying by the large window while another one with longish dark hair was staring quietly at the former. "Aidou and Kuran ... What the fuck?" he mumbled as he saw the young version of Kuran moved closer towards the tear-stricken blond and hugged him. Kuran was at about the age when he had first saw him in Cross's home. Instantly, something inside him cracked and he could feel his cheeks burning.

Then he felt Ichiru's arm snaking around his waist and whispered into the shell of his ear, "Something you want to tell me, Zero? You're all red," Horrified, he snapped his head and stared at his snickering ghost of a brother. "Perhaps I'm not the only one whose heart is enslaved by a pureblood," taunted his twin. He chose to ignore him.

Then it was changing again, the library was fading and darkness enveloped the surroundings. He looked over to Ichiru and the youth shrugged his shoulders signalling his indifference. They found themselves standing by a partially closed door. Moonlight spilled through windows and the air was heavy with the metallic scent of blood. There were bloodied footsteps on the floor trailing into the room behind the door. He recognized that scene and locked his gaze with Ichiru. His twin had a grim expression plastered on his face.

"Let's get out of here Zero. Let's leave!" Ichiru tugged his hand, dragging him away down the corridor. Just then, Aidou emerged from around a corner and walked stealthily pass them. Zero stopped in his steps and dragged a hissing Ichiru after the blond back towards the room.

"There's nothing that could be done, Zero!" Ichiru screamed at him.

But Zero paid no heed to his struggles and followed Aidou's back. "Shut up, Ichiru! We need to see this. This is your closure ... Our closure!" he snapped at his bewildered double.

"Oh.. I _had _mine! You don't need _closure_, you bastard! You hate her ... and this is not even real!"

Zero grabbed Ichiru by his collar and glared at his furious genetic copy with an equal amount of spite, "Yes, I hate her as much as I despise you for lending her a hand in murdering our parents. But she's dead! We need to see what _he_ did to her! I. Did. Not. Kill. Her, Ichiru!" he shook him hoping that would help to instil some sense into him.

Aidou was peeking through the door. _It's happening_ ... _He really did saw it ..._

His brother narrowed his eyes in disgust. "_He_?" he hissed. "Kuran Kaname?" Ichiru scoffed. "You.. I can't believe.. You.. Just as I thought .."

He smelt it, the scent of Shizuka's blood blooming in the air. Kuran had made his move. Zero dragged Ichiru pass the shell-shocked Aidou and kicked the door wide open. The blond did not make any reaction to indicate that he sees the both of them. _It's an enactment ... Whatever it is; this must be Aidou's memory._

Ichiru lunged forward to stop Kuran from sinking his fangs into Shizuka, knocking Zero out of the way. The dark haired pureblood said something to Shizuka and she smiled bitterly. He could not make out her reply and watched his twin try to pry Kuran off but his hands passed right through the pureblood prince. "Make him stop, Zero!" Ichiru screamed at him.

"Stop it!" he roared back at Ichiru. "None of this is real!"

Failing to detach Kuran off, Ichiru tried to get a hold on Shizuka instead. He growled in frustration as his hands passed right through her again and again; not showing any sign of stopping. The long silver hair had come out loose from the leather chords and the metal bell was long lost in his frenzy. Ichiru turned to him, begging him to do something but he shook his head in resignation. _What had happened happened. There's nothing more we could do, Ichiru._ Zero saw the brief glint of Kuran's fangs as he sunk them into Shizuka's neck.

Unexpectedly, Ichiru roared, sprinted to his direction and punched him squarely in the gut. He doubled over, grunting out in pain. His twin was too strong for a human; an inevitable effect from frequently sipping on Shizuka's blood, he suspected.

Ichiru elbowed him at the base of his spine, sending him crashing down on the floor. "But why the hell can I touch you?" he hissed.

Somebody yanked his brother away from him and he heard Ichiru curse as he staggered a few steps backwards. It was the blond vampire, breathing raggedly and scrunching his brows in pain as he rasped out angrily, "Get the hell out!"

Zero raised his eyebrow when his brother burst out laughing and ran his fingers in his hair. Then Ichiru clamped his hand on his left shoulder, pulling him to walk away from the seething Aidou. They were back in the stark white freezing space but this time there was a 7 foot black steel door at the back of the room. Ice crystals were rapidly encrusting the surroundings. Some were creeping up his legs so he stomped them off.

Ichiru was doing the same thing. "I had a hunch it was the filthy noble's brain we're breaching and what a twisted trip it was," he piped. "Oh well, since I'm permanently stuck with you ... Come, time to go Zero," he added and kicked the door open; the sound of crashing metal reverberated throughout the room, making some icicles drop down from the already frozen ceiling. Aidou was gradually marching up closer to them, freezing everything in his way.

The furious blond was approaching fast and towers of ice sprung like giant thorns behind him. There was nothing beyond that door because they were standing at the edge off an endless void. Ichiru snickered at the sight and kissed him suddenly on the cheek. In turn, he glared at his bipolar twin brother. _One minute you're fine, the next you're angry but really.. Like there's nothing cuter than facing the possibility of getting speared by the ice princess._

"Get out!" bellowed Aidou and consequently, a huge icy wall formed behind the two of them, forcing them to free-fall into the bottomless depth with Ichiru's maddening laugh echoing in the nothingness.

0000000000

"Why did you do all this?" she asked him.

"You might want to be specific with that question," he smirked, arching a dark reddish brown eyebrow while leaning against the door panelling. He looked liked a pervert. "Like try to narrow it down a bit," he smiled.

"Why did you set us up? You said you knew Tomohisa-dono took Zero away,"

"Corrections, milady.. I didn't set anybody up. I said I had a hunch that Tomohisa had something to do with Zero's AWOL. I didn't say he took him, "he answered lazily. "There, you got my answer. Now it's my turn. ."

"No I did not. What about the picture Kaname found? I want to know why you tried to hide the book too. Care to explain?"

"The picture is nothing significant," he avoided her eyes.

"Nothing significant? Obviously you don't know my brother well. It takes a lot to rile him up like that so that picture is _significant."_

"I have to tell you that it takes a lot to make me uncomfortable. Obviously don't know me too well to know that I'm easily pissed if somebody starts to nag," he glared at her. "Trust me, you don't wanna know."

"I can't trust you after that foolish feat at that house," she mumbled loud enough for Takamiya to hear. She studied the hunter and let out a defeated huff, "Fine, let's start with Tomohisa. Who is he?"

"As he said he was. Our former master,"

"Former? Isn't he like Yagari-sensei? "

"Yes ... But he used to teach us the soft skills; charms, spells and etcetera intermittently. He's an active duty hunter like Yagari and they cover each other's absences. However, some things happened and we have to stop training."

"Things like the photograph, you mean?"

Takamiya froze and narrowed his eyes, "Something like that and I rather not talk about it. The point is, he have to stay away from Zero."

"I have to know ... If you suspect he does have a hand in this mess, I need to know everything about him _or _I'll get it out of you."

"You're so stubborn ..." he groused and she shot a small evil smile back at him.

0000000000

The first thing he saw when he blinked his grainy eyes were a mass of yellow, soft yellow tuffs that got into his eyeballs so he jerked his face away and his cheek came into contact with an expanse of smooth sweat sheeted pale skin. He was lying on top of something pleasantly warm and supple, breathing hard like a runaway freight train and his heart was pumping like a jackhammer. The warm and supple plane was also mirroring his condition. _What the ... _His pleasantly giddy brain commanded his limbs to move but the throbbing prickling sensation zinging in his veins made the attempt sluggish and uncoordinated. Zero yanked his fingers out of the tangled mop of yellow and held his weight up on his elbows. A pair of half-lidded glazy blue eyes shocked him and he scampered onto his unsteady feet, realised that he has another painful 'problem' down yonder and turned away. _What the hell happened? Where's Ichiru? What the heck had happened! Think of ugly things, Zero. Think of Yagari's hairy naked butt. Yes, that one. Focus! _

He heard the other vampire groan, grew silent and cussed under his breath. Zero remembered the last sequence of events and froze in mortification. He had leeched onto the vile blond princess's neck, got better and obviously his vampire hormones enjoyed it too much. That explains his improved 'health condition'. He could feel his damaged tissues repairing and regenerating. _Well done, Zero ... You've added a Level-B to your bloody conquest list._ There was a nagging feeling at the recess of his conscious that the twisted Kuran Kaname would not be all too pleased if he learns about it. _Why am I bothered about how that demon would think? _

A volley of giggles echoed in the warehouse. Aidou had curled himself into a ball on the floor, chortling like a maniac. He double checked himself and sauntered over towards the blond. Aidou was still lost in his forced mirth, lying on his side, one arm hugging his knees while the other clamped over the left side of his neck. Zero squint his eyes when he saw suspicious wet trails on the noble's cheek. _You gotta be kidding me... _

"Since you're so happy, get up already," Zero figured verbally injected poison is best suited to cure Aidou's current malady, whatever it was. Aidou was a Level-B; a little blood lost would not be enough to kill him. But apparently, blood lost must have brought some other undesired physical effects. The vampire hormones were just too happy to get stimulated by the bloodied _bonding_. "Get up princess. Unless, you're _standing _someplace else that you don't want me to know," he added evilly.

The crazed fit of giggles stopped and Aidou grabbed the tattered fabric of Zero's pants and pulled himself to sit up. "Oh shut up Kiriyu .. I was well aware of _your attention_ poking at me right before you scooted away. What did I do to deserve that kind of treatment after all you've taken from me, cold bastard?" Aidou pouted and grabbed Zero's legs in a melodramatic hug and automatically, Zero kicked the snickering vampire off him.

"Owww!" the blond protested and continued to pout.

"You're a pervert," Zero glared.

However the death glare did not affect Aidou. "Blame nature. It's a normal bodily reaction, Kiriyu. In fact, since I drank yours and you drank mine, in standard vampire terms; we are officially dating now. Unless you're up to fill a spot in my yet-to-be-established harem," the blond pretended not to see his shaking, balled up fists and stood up to get the hidden haversack behind the old rusty drums.

"I'd rather die," Zero rubbed his temples as he tried to digest Aidou's absurdity.

Much to his irritation, the blond ignored him again, rummaged through the canvas, found a familiar looking white container and poured some of the contents into his mouth. _Odd_,_ Tomohisa was right. Kurohashi packed in more than necessary. _There was something wrong with Aidou's unhesitant decision to consume the stuff and Zero recognized the chalky scent anywhere; blood tablets. Aidou chewed it, stuffed the container back in and pulled out the map. "Don't worry, we wouldn't get anywhere near to _second base_ because we would be as good as dead as soon as Kaname-sama finds out," the blond murmured as he spread the yellowing paper on of a drum.

Zero decided to interrogate Aidou about the bag and Kurohashi later. He knew the blond had mentioned Kuran Kaname to get his attention off the unfounded faith in the rations. Nobody uses anything given by the enemy and Zero doubted Aidou was unaware of the unspoken rule.

"Really ... And why would that be?" he placed his healing fingers against the edges of crumbling paper, studying the blotched, scraggy markings on the topography. The slaughterhouse was marked in a hasty circle and a messy handwriting marked it as "Midori" in blue. There was a large red cross in the north eastern direction and judging from the tight contour lines, they have to march straight into the mountainous part of the area. He studied the scales and made a rough estimation; they would reach the indicated area in about 10 hours on foot. If nothing like drug spiked Es, a shady brown haired noble or Tomohisa himself did not get in their way.

Aidou sighed and folded the map back into the bag and answered, not looking at him at all, "I think you know why." Aidou had a strange look on his face, he was about to zip the haversack back up when Zero grabbed the hand, earning a scornful glare from the blond.

"I don't,"

"Look Kiriyu Zero, do you need to hear it out of my mouth? Can you be a little more sensitive about how I feel about my revered pureblood consenting you, a lowly Level-D, a hunter, to sample his sacred blood, while I, this loyal follower of his had never even dreamed of spilling it?"

"Yeah, I know you're in love with him, so help me because it unfortunately did happened but why the 'being killed if he finds out' part?"

There was a pregnant pause as Aidou studied him in disbelief before opening his mouth, "Didn't it ever occur to you why exactly he did _it_?"

_It _should be the word that Aidou meant by letting him sink his lowly fangs into the godly Kuran's neck and sucked the holy life source into his stinking guts. "To get me off Yuuki and turn me into his killer puppet," he repeated the practiced mantra he usually used to brainwash himself. That Kuran Kaname was nothing but a twisted evil fiend.

"Well, it appears as so but have it ever crossed your mind that he could have ordered me, Kain or Ichijo to _donate _some of _our_ blood to sustain you just enough and ordered you to be his killer puppet as you decorously implied instead? He is a pureblood and believe me even you could do very little to defy him," Aidou dropped the haversack back onto the drum, grabbed Zero by the back of his head and hissed into his face. "Tell me Kiriyu Zero, how did it feel when I drank your blood? How was it when you sucked your fill from me?"

Zero was rendered speechless. He was about to lash out at Aidou but the vampire gripped his hair roughly and brought their faces close together, cutting him off prematurely, "Was it as good as drinking from Kaname-sama?"

He slapped Aidou's hand away but the words hit him like a ton of rocks. He felt it, the subtle change in his being as the result of his desperate thirst. It was different when it was with the pureblood because it was a one-sided transfer. But in this case, the exchange was complete and suddenly he was afraid of the consequences. Aidou's outburst was a classic pattern of something that he dreaded the most; envy. He still hated the infuriating blond except the sentiment had been watered down a bit. And that alarmed him. Greatly.

Zero slapped the hand away and grabbed the haversack to examine the contents. Aidou was still glowering at him but he ignored everything and focused on the bag. There was indeed a lot in it. Bottles of blood tablets, a container that suspiciously look like Tomohisa's alleged drug, and two sets of plain dark green attire which looks like some sort of thick work jackets. Aidou grabbed the bag away from him, zipped it up and slung it over his shoulder.

"Let's move," Aidou did not bother to wait for his answer, elbowed his was pass him and disappeared through the door.

000000000

She could not possibly believe his tale of Zero's forgotten past. Of Zero's, Ichiru's and Tomohisa's tangled past to be precise. She had abused a bit of her recently acquired _persuasive ability_ and made Takamiya Kaito talk, cracking the car's windows into tiny spidery fissures with her _aura _and shredded the leather upholstery into tiny ribbons with her sharp claws every time he tried to dodge around or fib was proven to be sufficient to make the hunter answer all of her curiosities. Kaname could take out some of the money in her account to repair the damages because currently, Takamiya was sitting slightly too stiffly in his seat and it pleased her.

"So Tomohisa Atsushi is actually Zero's biological uncle?" she inquired.

"Corrections .. Rumoured to be Zero's biological uncle," Takamiya corrected. "At least that was my father had told me. Zero's grandfather had a fling with the Tomohisa last matriarch and the rest is history. Then the Tomohisas died one by one in the line of duty. Tomohisa Ashushi was very close with Zero's father, his assumed half-brother up to the time of his and his wife's untimely demise."

"That explains the uncanny resemblance,"

"He had a hard childhood growing up with the Tomohisas. The only thing he inherited from his mother was his amber coloured eyes. Basically, he screamed Kiriyu from head to toe. Tomohisa Atsushi might be a little twisted but he's a genius in his craft,"

"Keeping a picture of Zero gagged and chained is not just _a little twisted_," she glowered. "I don't need to see it to tell he was really twisted. To think I've had the barest flicker of respect because he was Zero's master.." Yuuki clenched her jaw tight. "Why did he abused Zero?"

"I can't answer that," Takamiya shook his head. "Maybe Zero can but I can't possibly know why,"

"Hunters could hunt down the most dangerous vampires but nobody knows about _this_?"

"Zero kept it from his parents afraid that Tomohisa-sensei will turn to Ichiru since he has the 'Messiah Complex'. He needs to save everybody however, I suspect Ichiru knows."

"And how precisely did _you _know about it?"

"Because I was the one who snapped that picture Kuran has in his pocket," the redheaded hunter smiled bitterly.

Yuuki stared at him hard and she was beyond upset. Tears were threatening to spill out of her eyes but she held it back with all of her might. "You kept quiet after so long?"

"I did. We weren't really on good terms back then so I chose to be ignorant. But I did what I did this time to fix that," he turned away from her. "I had a feeling that Kuran will take the bait."

"What?" Takamiya's last statement puzzled her. _Was he expecting Kaname to go and pursue Zero on his own? Why?_

Takamiya smirked and stared at her before answering her, "I've observed some interesting patterns between those two. Kuran thinks Zero is _his_ kill and vice versa. He won't like it if somebody else snatches his _prey_."

She could not contain her anger any longer so she spat at him, "You're thinking of using Kaname? How dare you! You .. You conniving .." she racked her seething brain for the right word but found none. "You could have just told us. You could have told me! Kaname must have gone after Zero by himself; now I've lost _both_ of them," she screamed at him and to her satisfaction, he paled considerably and shielded his face from her flaring temper.

The scent of Takamiya's blood brought her back to her senses. Horrified, she saw him hugging his cut forearms close to his chest. "Hey ... Watch out for the fragile human," he complained mockingly. "Your tantrum can accidentally reduce me into a meatloaf."

She regretted her outburst, reached out to take a look at the hunter's injuries but he stopped her, "Really, I'm fine. Just look away, please."

Yuuki wanted to give him a piece of her mind for being a manipulating, prejudicial, stubbornly rude fool but she finally understood his apprehension when she caught a glimpse of her own reflection in the cracked window behind him. She was instantly reminded of how far she and Zero's world were divided, of why the redhead orchestrated the meeting with Tomohisa, and of why Takamiya simply could not trust her. Her eyes were glowing red.

0000000000

"March on faster!" He hollered at the person trekking in front of him. The vampire's pale luminous skin and light yellowish hair plastered to his skull contrasted heavily in the dark drizzling rain. He was sure he was no less different with his equally light physical colourings. If he had to go on night missions, dark clothing, a black fleece hat and sometimes a face camo was even necessary. Presently, his bare rain slicked torso must be gleaming like a beacon. The reeking vampire gunk they had been rolling in before had long been washed off. He had been pushing Aidou to go as fast as they could because the rainwater will wash away their entire trail in the alpine forest. There were not much undergrowth beneath the trees so, they had minimal visual cover. Kurohashi, Tomohisa and possibly another hoard of those weird drug-spiked Es were still at large.

"Shut up and get up there," Aidou replied dryly. His torn, wet tattered shirt clung to his lean body and he could see the ripple of the blonde's muscles as sprang up the boulders and waited for him. The black jagged rocks were covered by thick green slippery moss. _Show off ... Sure, I'll just enjoy breaking some bones in case I slip and fall._

Zero sighed and leaped up beside the blond. The wet golden strands of hair made him look like a cold lost Shiatsu. "Quit this 'waiting up for Kiriyu' thing. Are you afraid you'll miss the moment I land flat on my face?" he grumbled.

"It has been 4 hours, stupid. I can tell if somebody is about to die," Aidou punched him not too gently on the arm, beckoning him to follow. He led them to a reasonably dry crag under a rocky outcropping, hidden by some tree saplings and vines. It was rather small and they have to stoop low and stick close together. _Sweet ... A chance to experience skin ship ... Hardy, har, har ... _

Aidou plopped himself down, hugged the haversack close and pulled him down by his belt loop. It was a slightly too friendly gesture in his opinion but he dismissed it. Aidou had closed his eyes and slumped over the bag; sighing, groaning and mumbling nonsense. He loathed being in such close quarters with the Level-B especially without exchanging their customary glares and hostilities.

The soles of their feet were covered with cuts from walking barefooted in the cold, slippery darkness does come with unsuspected hazards. He wanted to filter it out but the smell of Aidou's blood assaulted his nose. It was not a good thing given the taste of the blond was still lingering in his mouth and although he hated to admit, but it was not in any way unpleasant. Aidou was quite _delicious. _He nearly died in shame for admitting it and plus, it made him feel like a spoiled brat because the only vampire blood references had been the pure blooded Kurans and maybe his equally 'pureblood-vampire-blood-saturated' evil twin brother. Then immediately, he felt the urge to hurl because he realized that although he had drunk from them out of desperation, he could remember the differences between them vividly.

He reminded himself that he had drunk from the vampire victim sitting beside him out of _desperation_ but still he subconsciously deducted that the Level-B tasted milder compared to the rest. The thought shocked him, y_ou see Zero; you can apply a license and become some sort of a high-class-vampire-blood sommelier and publish a guidebook. Bravo, you're such a hoar_, he applauded himself sarcastically. True, he had even surprised himself for letting Aido feed on him but he felt the spur of the moment decision was an emphatic upshot of his dissolving humanity.

He eyed the unwary blond noble vampire who rummaged inside the waterproof bag, found the thing he was looking for, popped a few tablets into his mouth and threw the container at him.

"Impressive find, senpai .. You don't give the impression of an outdoorsy person though," he said, referring to the hidden enclave as he chewed on the chalky, bitter pills. Artificial blood pills had turned to be one of the staples in his diet lately but it does not mean it appeals to his palate. If he ever had the urge to chew on a blackboard chalk one day, he pretty much knows what to expect.

Aidou snapped his head back up and snorted at him, "Senpai? I thought you're sticking to _princess._" Then he picked at his tattered translucent silk shirt which clung to his skin, "I hate the outdoors but don't forget I'm by no means a human."

Zero understood Aidou's meaning; a natural born vampire had finer instincts compared to an ex-human vampire. Most probably he just had the feeling the natural shelter was there all along. "I'll call you princess if you want me to," he teased.

"Stick to senpai."

"As you wish princess-senpai."

"Why am I not surprised?" Aidou griped.

They spent the next few minutes staring at the rain. Dawn was going to break in a few more hours and they had to use the dark as their cover as much as they can. He hated to admit but he was growing weary in their trek and Aidou noticed it. Zero examined his worst injury; his hands only to find that they were slightly sore but all in all, properly healed. Suddenly Aidou hummed a hauntingly familiar tune. He glared disbelievingly at the blond. It was an old lullaby that Ichiru used to sing to him whenever the sickly boy was trying to calm him down. It reopened old wounds.

"I caught a glimpse of your memories," Aidou explained voluntarily. Zero was expecting a bout of teasing but nothing else came out of the blonds' mouth. The blue eyes just held his in that steady gaze.

"What else did you see?"

"Hmm ...Stuff." Aidou shrugged it off. "But when you umm ..."

"What?"

"When you had my blood.. Why was Ichiru with you?" there was no malice in his voice, he thought, just plain curiosity.

"You saw him?" Zero had to be sure.

Aidou looked away and nodded his head. "Uh huh ... Wearing the Day Class uniform like you did,"

"I don't know," he answered him earnestly. _I'll ask you about Kuran and that brown haired cry baby leech in the garden later_, he thought. "How does it work?" he asked Aidou instead.

"What?"

Zero combed his fingers into his damp hair and faced Aidou, "The visions. The things we see when ... You know ..."

"Drink other's blood? God, you're such a pansy prude," Aidou sighed and smacked him at the back of his head. Zero glared at him.

Aidou grinned mischievously before answering, "I'm not really sure. But I think you'll get to see what you wanted to see in those visions. They are memories actually."

"Then what did you wished to see when you drank mine?" he asked Aidou. "Seriously, I'll hold my temper," he reassured him when he saw one of the golden eyebrows raised in a fine arch.

"So you are aware of your short fuse ..." Aidou remarked with a chuckle.

"Whatever ... Fine. Forget it."

The blond smirked at his reaction before deciding to speak, "I think I saw your deepest fears and Ichiru was there too; he tried to kick me out by choking me with his bare hands. I didn't wished exactly for it, to see your insecurities; but since I hated your guts ... That was my sentiment back then and I guess it had been reciprocated," he paused.

He was surprised to know that Aidou had seen his twin but he chose not to dwell on it so, he decided to tease his way out of it. "_Hated_ my guts .." he repeated Aidou's words, sneering. "What's with the past tense?"

He was amazed because Aidou was lost for words and blushed. _What the hell is up with him?_ He wondered. Coming up with a stinging comment or a tease were not the best option unless he wants a ballistic blond chewing on his hide so he sucked it all in and sighed. "Forget it ... sorry. So what exactly did you see, princess?"

The nickname drew out the desired effect because Aidou rolled his eyes and blurted, "That night with the fireworks with Ichiru, a dungeon and a wet disgusting tongue, Shizuka, a cookie stuffing episode in a kitchen and that moment you carried Ichiru." Aidou spewed it all out in one breath and waited for his reaction.

"Oh ..." that was all he managed to say and Aidou blinked doubtfully at him. Most probably Aidou caught a hint of his bizarre "Kuran Kaname Crisis" too but did not dare to mention it or decided to store it into his 'Kiriyu Blackmail' folder. He deducted the former assumption and settled for the latter.

"You're not going to kill me?" Aidou almost squeaked.

The thought did cross his mind but to his confusion, he felt that he could learn to trust the vampire. He glanced over to Aidou, smiled and laughed quietly.

The blonds' big blue eyes widened in disbelief, "Oh no,That ability to laugh ... You're not Kiriyu!"

Aidou's reaction made him burst out laughing even harder and he spluttered for air. "Welcome back, princess airhead ..." he teased Aidou, watching the blue eyes narrow down into slits. "I guess you caught a peek of Zero and saw proof that I'm not made of metal ... Make sure you keep them to yourself."

"Huh? So ... Should I call you Zero?" Aidou was teasing him back.

"Can you? Although you said we're technically in the _dating_ phase, even if Kuran does not kill us like you said he would and got to _second base_, I can't call you Hanabusa. At least not before I could get to _the third base_ or _hit a homerun_ with you," he snickered and enjoyed watching Aidou's face cringe in disgust.

He did not expect Aidou to be an old fashioned prig, using the granny-styled metaphor of the courting-dating thing. There goes another misconception of Aidou Hanabusa apart from he was not a real self-proclaimed genius but a real genius, not a real airheaded insensitive snoot but a real airheaded sensitive loon, and last but not least he is not necessarily a real hunter-hating-pureblood-worshipping-noble-class-bloodsucker but a real noble-class-willing potential blood bank-ally-in-training, probably. Because his brain was not really functioning at normal par since his system was tainted with that Level-B haemoglobins. He was beginning to empathize and put up with Aidou, which was somewhat alarming considering how much the blond used to irritate him with his flamboyance and flirtatiousness. This version of a more capable and level-headed Aidou was much more tolerable to him. However, he would never cease to enjoy placing the blond on his _tease-grater_.

"Perverted, retarded, asshole!" the blond turned red and whacked him viciously on the head. Again.

"... and you called me a pansy prude ..." he protested under his breath while rubbing his mistreated head.

There were more awkward silence as they sat there, keeping on a lookout for threats. Aidou started to hum the lullaby again. He shot the noble-class vampire a momentary glance and then buried his head between his drawn-up knees so that they covered both of his ears.

It was easier to just tell Aidou to shut up but he refused to let him know how much that tune affected him, reminding him of how he failed and wronged Ichiru. Ichiru was pure in the beginning until his shortcomings dyed that soul as black as coals. He had failed to see those subtle changes during those years; he had purposely shut off his ears as Ichiru's nightly tunes had morphed from a sign of love, adoration and devotion to hate, malice and vengeance. He placed the blame on himself for being away most of the time because of his gruelling training sessions and not able to be there for his twin, for being a weak coward who was unable to fully shelter Ichiru away from Tomohisa's malevolence. The memory of Tomohisa's systematic torture over those dark years made him angry all over again.

"Stop it ..." he whispered.

Aidou did, smiled bitterly and ran his fingers through his damp golden hair, "It is such a nice tune. Sorry ... Never thought it would stir you up." The blond reached out his right hand to touch his arm but stopped midway before pulling it back. "You know, as cliché as this may sound, I'll listen if you need to talk," Aidou appeared to be genuine. The blond continued when he remained silent "I don't know what happened in your past but from the stuff I saw, the things that _bastard_ had said and the way you're angry at the world; you have a lot in your plate. I definitely won't be able to understand your situation but I'll listen."

"Now you sound like a real princess ... I should get you a tiara studded with Tomohisa's teeth once I get to him," he chuckled. Aidou shot him a disbelieving look. It was his turn to whack the blond's creased, worried forehead.

Aidou yelped out his protest and then rubbed his abused head, "Uh ... Thanks?"

"Look senpai, I think you might have the right idea of what he did to me in the past," he started. Aidou looked away and nodded. He turned slowly to face the older vampire, staring intensely to study his troubled face. _Why would you even care?_ "But if you think I'd be broken once I see him again then you're wrong; I'm neither weak nor afraid of him. He may have hurt me physically but, the emotional scars he made Ichiru bear as he uses him to get to me are the very reason that I'm going to castrate him and hang his balls above the association's gates."

0000000000

Abandoned buildings, rusty heaps of metal and garbage were not uncommon in an old industrial yard and there was nothing unusual about the surroundings except for the location itself. He had been trailing the suspicious silver haired hunter for hours, waiting outside what appears to be a hunter association's outpost as the man went inside. It was concluded as a safe house because the doors and windows were rigged with anti-vampire charms and he assumed that it was abandoned because there were no signs of other hunters at the premise and neither did he sense any flicker of life anywhere. There was nothing atypical about the old brick building but the defence mechanisms were sufficient to keep any average vampire from breaching. However, there was nothing average about him, an extremely curious pure blooded vampire who was running short on patience.

Tomohisa had driven his truck right into the garage and he had followed, unseen and unnoticed staying in the shadows as the hunter made his way further into the premise. A fairly unwise move considering he was in hunters' territory.

The garage led into a long dark passageway and Tomohisa's footsteps echoed against the grey plastered wall. The footfalls ceased and followed by exactly by six consecutive beeps; most probably the hunter had stopped by a door and punched on an electronic lock. Impressive, the hunters had embraced modernity. He had been expecting giant iron keys strung together in a ring was still being used by them. His ears told him that judging from the pitch of the tones; the hunter had inputted a sequence of 6-4-3-6-7-4 and smiled secretly because his anal attention to detail had finally came in handy. He whipped out his phone and texted the sequence to Akatsuki. Telling him to check it out for any significance to the two vampires' disappearance with Ruka. He did not bother to tell the Level-Bs of his exact location because he had the hunch that the overly fanatical Aidou had sneakily planted a tracing bug in his device prior handing over to him. Akatsuki should know how to trace it.

Still cloaked by the shadows, he waited again for the man to open the door and took a step in. As soon as Tomohisa did, he emerged out of his hiding fast enough to catch a sliver of light spilling out into the passageway. Now he knew which door to take. He smiled and resisted the urge to barrage in there and wring out the man's neck. Despite of his cold and calculating personality, he discovered that the persona is inapplicable when it concerns matters that are deemed personal to him. Currently, he decided that one; by merely keeping possession of a photograph of Kiriyu and two; having a sword with the vampire hunter's blood on it equals to vandalizing his personal possession. Kiriyu Zero was his and only his alone to kill.

The door clicked close so he seized the opportunity to make a brief assessment of the place. The building resembles some sort of a holding facility with its windowless walls. Several doors lined each side of the 15 meter long passage intermittently and every one of them was rigged with electronic lock that glowed in the greenish backlight. He stood by the entrance which Tomohisa had stepped into and trained his ears for any movements. There was none. He closed his eyes and tried to _feel_ for Kiriyu but he got nothing. The silver haired ex-human was nowhere near him. Nevertheless, the faint sinking tug that he felt in his heart as he tried to reach out was enough to indicate that the boorish teen was very much still alive. He hated the feeling. And he reviled the fact that he even felt something for the vampire hunter. Even more shocking, the concern for Aidou's well being not once did crossed his mind. He hated the feeling even more.

Again, he weighted his options; first to actively engage with Tomohisa and torture the information out of him while putting himself at risk along the ride. The katana soaked in Aidou's and Kiriyu's blood Takamiya swiped from the mysterious hunter's house was enough to implicate the man with the disappearances. Second was to fall back and see however things develop and wait for the right moment to act. But he was not much of a man of logic or a backbencher so the first one appeals more to his intuitions. He would confront the hunter. A hunter may be a potentially formidable opponent but he was not some common vampire that can be taken lightly. He was an enraged pureblood, a scorned Level-A who would stop at nothing until he had his very own brand of justice delivered.

He punched in the code and the heavy metal door creaked open revealing a room more or less similar to the one back at Tomohosa's house. _Another morgue?_ It war larger, dimly lit and thick with the pungent smell of chorine like it had been hastily cleaned up and there was no sign of the hunter. Staying in the shadows, he scoped the layout; two metal tables dominated the centre, aluminium storage lined the wall. He saw two separate double-doors standing on opposite walls at the back and he assumed Tomohisa must be behind one of those since he was nowhere to be found in the white tiled room. There was nothing of the ordinary but he felt a faint flickering presence. He reminded himself that hunters are very capable of cloaking their auras and Tomohisa could be anywhere watching his movements.

The flickering presence was from behind the door on the left so he went for it. Someone or something was alive and breathing but as he approached closer, he could tell that it was weak. Placing his right hand on the knob, he held his breath and swung it open. It was a smaller but brightly lit room that looked like a medic bay or a small clinic. A moss green curtain separated the room into two and whatever being he was sensing was somewhere behind it.

He heard it, the quiet but frantic heartbeat racing faster and faster as he stepped closer to the divider, determined to find out. Something is off about the creature because he could not precisely tell whether it was human or a vampire; it was giving out mixed signals. _Could it be ... an ex-human? _His own heart skipped a beat. Whatever it was, whoever it was, he would take it down; his resolution was made.

He did not get to make the first move because a long metal rod ripped through the thick fabric and stabbed into his upper chest, missing his heart by inches but the pain temporarily paralyzed him. The creature had attacked him. He grabbed the sharpened end, yanked it out of his flesh and pulled it forward causing the assailant to pitch forward into the curtain, crash down onto the floor with a screech. Blood poured out of his wound for a few seconds before his flesh resealed itself. The makeshift metal spear had rolled away and he braced himself for the next attack. From the amount of racket, he was positive that Tomohisa should be heading towards his way. He would have to move fast.

Sensing his bubbling wrath, the assailant trashed in the tangle of fabric; trying to get away but he grabbed an exposed ankle, turning it into a pivot point and swung the body into the wall. The tiles cracked and some crumbled off, exposing the old masonry. Enraged, he moved to secure the assailant, grabbing it by the neck and ripped off the thick fabric covering it. To his surprise, he found himself staring into a pair of fierce red tinted amethyst eyes partially covered by thick, unruly silver blood matted mop of hair; a courtesy of a deep gash on the forehead. A bold black tattoo was burning under his fingers and he could recognize those ridiculously loud ear piercings anywhere. _Kiriyu?_

_

* * *

_

A/N – Finished reading? Tons of mistakes,huh? It's a bit shaky, this chappie. I think (I'm my biggest critic). I'll maintain my excuse for being stuck with work for the so-so-ness of this instalment. I wrote and edited this one in 3 hours coz this is the only window I have in the next 48 hours or so. My boss is a demon and I have to organize his minions to pump up his money. Gomen! TQ for sticking with the story. If you could kindly point out the errors, I'll edit it right away.

For those who had placed this story on alert, thank you so much! Not many 'favourite'ed it but it's okay, I know my level BUT, BUT, BUT I really, really appreciate your confidence. I'm touched *sniffs*

Thank you **jezared**for your support. It's hard for me to picture Zero as a romantic so that's why the thing he did to Aidou turned out that way. *grins* I've been following 'Zerokunbot' on twitter lately and _he _inspires me a lot. ^^ And yeah, Kaname has to feel something from time to time, no? Or else he would be one very lonely SOB. Hehehe.. Tell me what you think about this one.

And my dear **bloodyLily***sigh* You've known me for so long, right? 17 years is no joke, babe. Yes people, shall I introduce my *ahem* muse, Miss-Lily-whose-been-haunting-me-to-write-those-kind-of-stuff-since-we-were-pre-teens. She speaks her mind. All the time ... YOU KNOW I can't write those kinds of things well. Don't be so cruel. *whines* Please stick to mails. Or call ... or text like a normal 'bff'. You're scaring the lil' lambs. Seriously. Luv ya. Sign up to this site for God's sake, woman! ^^ You'll know when exactly any story from your 'manually'-catalogued-list is updated.

Wow **firda** ... 5 in a row? Woooot ... Thanks! Oh you figured out my nickname ... So let's get to it. Terima kasih. The way you write it. Kita ni mesti berasal dari satu tempat/negara yang sama. Betul? Kekok rasanya sebab semestinya yang lain kurang atau tidak faham langsung. Mungkin tak adil? So I'll stick to English. ^^ Glad you liked how Aidou and Kaito turned out. No, I don't think there'll be any other OCs. You're right, too many does get confusing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**Warning:**_Sporadic OOCness ahead. Face sucking action again. Naughty language again. _

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 12

_He heard it, the quiet but frantic heartbeat racing faster and faster as he stepped closer to the divider, determined to find out. Something is off about the creature because he could not precisely tell whether it was human or a vampire; it was giving out mixed signals. Could it be ... an ex-human? His own heart skipped a beat. Whatever it was, whoever it was, he would take it down; his resolution was made._

_He did not get to make the first move because a long metal rod ripped through the thick fabric and stabbed into his upper chest, missing his heart by inches but the pain temporarily paralyzed him. The creature had attacked him. He grabbed the sharpened end, yanked it out of his flesh and pulled it forward causing the assailant to pitch forward into the curtain, crash down onto the floor with a screech. Blood poured out of his wound for a few seconds before his flesh resealed itself. The makeshift metal spear had rolled away and he braced himself for the next attack. From the amount of racket, he was positive that Tomohisa should be heading towards his way. He would have to move fast._

_Sensing his bubbling wrath, the assailant trashed in the tangle of fabric; trying to get away but he grabbed an exposed ankle, turning it into a pivot point and swung the body into the wall. The tiles cracked and some crumbled off, exposing the old masonry. Enraged, he moved to secure the assailant, grabbing it by the neck and ripped off the thick fabric covering it. To his surprise, he found himself staring into a pair of fierce red tinted amethyst eyes partially covered by thick, unruly silver blood matted mop of hair; a courtesy of a deep gash on the forehead. A bold black tattoo was burning under his fingers and he could recognize those ridiculously loud ear piercings anywhere. Kiriyu?_

The amethyst eyes widened in panic and then they morphed into revulsion. Sure, Kiriyu hated him from the bottom of his blackened Level-D heart but there was something off about him. The scent of the blood spilling out of the wound smells like Kiriyu but there was something else missing; the scent of _his_ own blood. Instead, the red coagulating liquid smelled more like a certain raving-mad female pureblood that he had permanently _dealt with_. She deserved her fate just because she had wished to harm her precious Yuuki and for intending to snatch away his favourite _toy_.

It puzzled him greatly because everything about the struggling shirt clad vampire in his grasp matches the stoic silver haired prefect from the pale skin, the piercing eyes, the horrendous tattoo, to the absurdly juvenile earrings, all except for the scent of his filthy D-rank blood. However, time was running out because he could hear Tomohisa moving swiftly towards the room.

The vampire hunter was clawing at his fingers; his voice came out in low rasps as he tried to tell him something. Kaname eased on his hold just enough to let him hiss out his unexpected warning, "He's coming, Kuran ... Hide!" A Level-D was telling a pure blooded vampire to hide, that was a first.

"Hide...!" the ex-human narrowed his eyes while repeating his heated _request_ through gritted teeth. The voice was hoarse, dry as if it had not been used for a long time. It was no doubt Kiriyu's but the pitch was different. It was a softer by a notch compared to the usually deeper and steelier cadence. His instincts told him that the Level-D in his grasp was indeed Kiriyu, but not Kiriyu Zero. However, the only other Kiriyu was dead, buried six-feet under like a common human would be in case they end up losing their lives to some kind of disease or an unfortunate incident; like being sucked dry, _consumed _by his own twin. Kiriyu Ichiru could not possibly rise up from the dead or miraculously turned into a Level-D vampire and grow the exact same tattoo on the left side of his neck and punctured in five pieces of metal in his ear cartilage while composting in his coffin.

The amethyst eyes showed nothing but fury and it astonished him. _What could possibly be more frightening than a pureblood vampire breathing down your neck? _Apparently, to the silver haired supposed to be dead Kiriyu, it was Tomohisa Atsushi.

"Hide!" Now, the Level-D was almost begging him. Trusting a cold-blooded most likely vengeful, double crossing spawn of the famous Kiriyu line might not be a wise idea; it could be a trap but he decided to play along. _After all, he was the one who had killed his pure blooded mistress. _Maybe there was more to the story and he was determined to find out.

Kaname let the boy go, retreated into the shadows and stepped into a storage closet at the back of the room. He suppressed his presence and watched the silver haired vampire hide the bloodied two meter long metal makeshift spear diagonally in between the mattress and the bed, strew heaps of books and paper over his crimson bloodstain on the floor, grabbed a chair and began to pummel it against the damaged wall, causing more tiles to crumble. The Level-D was covering the remnants of their encounter by staging an amok.

He caught a glimpse of Tomohisa when he burst into the room. The hunter did something and immediately the tattoo on the Level-D's neck glowed. Kiriyu crashed onto the paper littered floor like a broken marionette. "Finally coming to your senses, Ichi-chan?" Tomohisa bent down to study the boy's cut forehead, "Though I wasn't expecting a mess. This is more of Zero's style ... I was wondering how long you can continue to lie down like an inanimate object, I was thinking of starting to let you get acquainted with my favourite bullwhip and force you to wake. Maybe like Zero, you'll bite your tongue to suppress your screams too."

His stomach lurched. The silver haired Level-D was indeed Kiriyu Ichiru. "Where's Zero?" Ichiru croaked painfully. A smile formed on Tomohisa's face. "Where's Zero?" Ichiru asked again. Kaname had the feeling that Ichiru was asking the question for his benefit. Ichiru was supposed to be the cunning half of the Kiriyu pair and right then, he was trying to get clues. Maybe the Level-D knew of his brother's disappearance. The older silver haired man squint his amber eyes and laughed at the paralysed vampire at his feet.

"Where's Zero? Aren't you going to ask about yourself? How does it feel to be back from the dead? Hmm... Ichi-can?"

"This isn't hell ...?" the boy seethed. "Is Rido gone?"

Tomohisa squatted down and laughed even harder, "I see ... You're finally regaining your senses. That means _that_ had happened."

Ichiru was not asking about Zero's disappearance. He was asking about Zero's whereabouts. If he does not know about Rido's death in his twin's hands, the boy's memory must have ended at the moment when his twin took his life.

"Is Zero dead ...? No! I gave him my life, he can't be dead! Why am I here? What do you want from me?"

"Shhh ... Ichi-chan. One at a time," the man chuckled. Kaname could see his amber eyes glinting in excitement; like a man who had struck gold. "Zero's fine. I'm going to bring you to him and about you ... Feel anything different?"

There was a brief silence. Kaname watched Tomohisa touch the boy's pierced ears with his right fingers, caressing the black tattoo on the left side of the slender neck and back up to trace the full lips.

"... Why do I have fangs ...?" He asked like a petulant child. "What did you do to me?"

Tomohisa smirked in satisfaction, "Because, my boy ... Apparently, you're a D like Zero," Kaname could feel the glee in his voice, "So because you're _like_ Zero, being twins and all, I made you into his exact replica; cut your hair, tattoo that seal, did your ears ... Precisely like I did to Zero. You don't want to fall to Level-E hmm ...?"

"Why?" there was no more confusion in Ichiru's tone. It was spoken between gritted teeth. "H- how did you turn me into a D? Shizuka-sama didn't! How?"

"Let me narrate this _situation_, dear boy ... All hunter corpses come to me ... Even your dear parents departed murdered parents, you know, right?" Tomohisa leered. "Then one day, you came to me. Of course pronounced dead, a bite mark to the neck, a gaping wound on your side, lifeless, useless ... An empty shell of a human hunter. I stripped you, washed you and was about to cut you up with a scalpel. Routine, routine, routine ... But guess what? You bleed. I stopped. You're supposed to go onto full rigour mortis in twelve hours because you are human but ... I got you precisely sixteen hours after your _demise_. However, you didn't. Oh, you _are_ dead. No heartbeat no nothing. But day by day, you appear to _heal and change. _Strange ... Did crazy Hiou Shizuka turn you too? I suspect. The greedy, greedy, greedy bitch wants both of my boys," he explained in an irritating sing-song manner.

"Don't you ever degrade Shizuka-sama!"

Tomohisa slapped the boy across the face. Blood bloomed in the air. The older hunter scoffed, "She did turn you Ichi-chan ... And sealed you as a human. Your transformation was a pain to keep up with, all that blood you need, and all those people and vampires I bled for you ... But that's not the point, I don't know how she managed to seal you but it took you long enough to come out of your coma," he spat. "You have me to thank for exhuming you out of that coffin and force-feed you or else you'll be waking up six-foot underground, as a skeleton clawing its way out,"

The revelation shocked him too. Most probably the Kiriyu twins were part of Shizuka's plan to seize control of the hunters. A pair of identical twins, one a prominent hunter who will rise into power while another was presumed dead, hidden, nurtured under her wings and when the right time comes; she will make the swap and the hunters would be hers. _Brilliant ..._

"You're going to use me against Zero again, aren't you?"

"No, I'm going to use you _as_ Zero. I'll keep him as my pet while you, go out there and live his life. Follow my orders; lead the Hunter Association to put me back into power and Zero can live. Otherwise, there'll only be two Kiriyus left. You and me ..."

The silver haired vampire broke into a fit. "You may be linked by blood, but you were never born into the clan. You may look like my father, like us but the similarities _ends_ there. We will never acknowledge you as kin. Not after all you've done to my brother! You'll never be a Kiriyu, ever ..."

"Perhaps, your opinion does not matter to me. All I want is Zero and you're going to give him to me. He's not fit to lead the hunters but one of you must seize power. You, Kiriyu Ichiru has a heart blacker than mine but loves your brother more than your own life. You're the perfect string-puppet."

"You can dream, Tomohisa. Dream, till one of us chops off your head and serve it on a silver platter."

"I can't wait."

"Yet, you're right about my black heart ... How about a deal?" Ichiru surprised him. "But you have to free me first, dear _uncle_. I'm too weak to do anything to you anyways."

Kaname was shocked. _Uncle? _Kiriyu Ichiru was well aware that he was in there, listening. _What is he up to? _Tomohisa chortled gleefully upon hearing Ichiru's words.

The older hunter released the ex-human from the invisible binds and hoisted him up to his wobbly feet. The boy backed down onto the bed while Tomohisa stared him down, "Well?"

"You can have Zero, do want you want to him. I'll take his place. You don't need him to blackmail me, I want the hunters gone as much as you do too," the boy broke into a smirk. "If Shizuka-sama had sealed me like you implied, it must have been her unspoken wish as well."

"Your diabolical mind never ceases to impress me, Ichi-chan. First you parents, now your own twin ..." Tomohisa scoffed. "Go on ..." he urged the ex-human.

Ichiru's lips took on a lopsided smile upon seeing Tomohisa's growing interest and continued, "What is more, dearest uncle, I also know that it was you who had tempered with Shizuka-sama's D lover's list. You deliberately gave it to my father, didn't you? Then, I ... _took_ _care_ of the rest ..."

"Smart boy, I have a feeling that you would stumble across that sooner or later. Do go on ..." Tomohisa's excitement was apparent. His filthy heart was beating wildly is his adrenaline charged anticipation. Kaname observed the scene with greater curiosity. Whatever were Ichiru's true motives, he was doing a good job luring on his wicked alleged kin. Tomohisa was currently blinded by his malevolence.

"I've proven my worth, haven't I? So, here's what I want ..." Ichiru grinned, flashing his barely visible fangs at Tomohisa, "Whatever you're up to now ... I want _in_."

The bait had been casted. Tomohisa did not say anything but laugh eerily. Kaname smiled in the background because Kiriyu Ichiru's shrewdness had sparked his interest. The silver haired boy had Tomohisa wrapped around his little finger quite easily. However, staying and listening to the things transpiring was a sizable risk to take since the two could be staging that conversation to bait him into a trap. He was not ready to trust the younger Kiriyu.

"Of course ... Of course ... But first, let us get to Zero. You are not _complete_ yet Ichiru-chan. I suspect a part of you still lies within your brother," the hunter cupped Ichiru's chin and tilted his face upwards. "You gave it to him, and you _died_.. The human part of you did. Unless we get it back, you will remain weak ... Stay this way and you'll turn into an E in no time. That won't work wouldn't it?"

"Where's Zero?"

"I sent him on a special _training course_ ... Seeing that you're finally _awake_; I assume he is doing predictably well so far ... Stay here while I go get him back," Tomohisa chuckled and released the boy.

"I'll go with you,"

"No ... Stay. This place here is a hunter research facility, doubled up as a prison for vampires. They won't be able to distinguish it apart from the other rundown buildings. However once they get in, there's no way of getting out. Not without a hunter's assistance ...Don't go anywhere and take your time to recuperate," Tomohisa pushed Ichiru back to lie down on the bed, covered him up and ruffled the shorn silver head of hair in mock affection.

_Oh really ... A prison? Have you tired holding a pureblood before?_ Kaname sneered.

"Yes ... But at least tell me where you are going..." Ichiru persistence frazzled Tomohisa. The amber eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Begging is not your style, Ichi-chan ... What are you up to?"

"Nothing ... I detested the way you don't believe in me enough, shunning me away and always favoured Zero so, I hated you. I did what I did to get your attention; apparently my father's, your brother's death was not enough ... Am I forever not good enough for you?" Ichiru's unexpected confession shocked him. Kaname believe it was a constructed lie but Tomohisa seemed to be buying it. His obsession with the exploitation of the twins must have been clouding his judgement. _Perfect_...

"It never occurred to me that you _pined_ for my approval," Tomohisa sneered.

"No, never..." the boy reached up and grabbed the hunter's collars, bringing Tomohisa face down close enough to hover above his. Kaname was stunned, _what the hell are you up to, Kiriyu?_

"I pined for _you_ ..." Ichiru whispered sultrily while pulling Tomohisa into a lip-lock. The amber eyes widened in shock but to Kaname's disgust, Tomhisa deepened the contact, groaning in satisfaction as the Level-D opened his mouth to welcome the invading tongue. _Hook, line and sinker! _Kaname cringed and fought to remain calm _that, that 'thing' there is not him! Breathe..._

0000000000

"Hold on, Kaname-sama sent something," the ginger haired vampire broke the silence.

They had been trying to get Yuuki to make the emblem work. She had mixed her blood with Zero's scraped from the floorboard but it had not been progressing too well. Currently, she had her eyes closed and gave a vague instruction to move to the southwest. So, Cross Kaien got behind the wheels, bundled Kain Akatsuki, Souen Ruka, Kuran Yuuki and himself into the godforsaken Vampire Hunter Association's prisoner transport truck and hit the roads of uncertainties. And currently, Kain's text caught everybody's attention.

"Let me see, what did Kaname-same say?" the beautiful brown haired bloodsucker named Souen lunged forward and snatched the device away. "6-4-3-6-7-4 ... What does he mean?"

"I don't think Kaname-sama is saying anything. Just check it out, Ruka. Get Shiki and Rima to trace his bug," Kain remarked. The vampire girl nodded and got her own cell out, most probably reaching out to the one of the vampire posies.

"You bugged your own god?" he leered while pushing his unruly reddish bangs aside. Souen was about to give him a piece of her mind but Kain held her back. Kuran Yuuki still had her eyes closed in concentration. She held the bronze emblem close to her heart. Ironically, the tiny rubies embedded as the wolf's eyes were glowing red; red like the vampires' bloodthirsty eyes.

"~Now, now, Takamiya-kun ..." warned Cross while driving as fast as he could.

He studied the map spread on his lap. The south-western parts of the map were covered by mountains and ridges. He focused on buildings or other kinds of facilities that could potentially serve as Tomohisa's hideout. He had never liked the silver haired hunter. Those sharp amber eyes bore too much spite. "I have a hunch we should head out to the direction of the training outposts, President," he said to the bespectacled man.

"It's worth checking out. I think there was at least one or two of the abandoned ones there as well," Cross agreed a few seconds later. He smiled to himself, focusing back on the map. He would search for places along the desolated roads. Tomohisa had taken two vampires and he must have picked somewhere where transport can access. _He can't haul a berserk Zero on his back can he?_

000000000

Tomohisa was gone. He stepped out of the dank closet and approached the silver haired Level-D who had his face buried in his upturned palms.

"You can leave now ..." said the ex-human. "I have gotten what you needed ..."

_How dare he...? _Kaname growled in his mind.

The filthy Level-D was forgetting his place. Standard protocol was breached and trampled under that impudent and lowly silver haired scum's foot. The fact that he had killed his mistress shall not count. "This might be a trap," he said it, casting his anger temporarily aside. He would place his objectives first.

"No it's not ... Go now. Shoo ... or I've just kissed the monster for nothing. Fuck, that was gross," he complained, the hoarse voice was muffled by his hands.

_Impudent, impudent, filthy arrogant fool;_ _just like your brother and how dare you assume that I came here for your brother's sake?_ He thought, ignoring his urge to continue where he had left; wring the life out of that mangy creature.

"And you ...?" Kaname was merely curious. _You're supposed to be dead._

"...Want to finish the unfinished?" Kiriyu Ichiru had read his mind. The replica had removed the palms away and faced him boldly. It was disturbing to see that faint smile gracing the pale, finely sculpted face. Kiriyu Zero had never smiled; the newly created clone sitting on the edge of the pristine bed while scrutinising him would probably the only one who had ever witness such a peculiar thing such as a smile from his twin.

He detested the precision of the tattoo, the exact length of each strand of that silver hair, right to the pierced ears. No one could tell them apart, he deduced. Except for him for he had memorized every millimetre of the real Kiriyu Zero right to his stench. The special attention comes in handy in case this kind of situations does happen; and at the moment, he had proven that his investment had been fruitful.

Kaname narrowed his garnet eyes, the hauntingly similar amethyst held no fear of him. "Why?" he asked the ex-human.

"Because I am not Zero, for the reason that my existence will destroy him, perhaps once he learns of what I have become; another _D_ in the likes of him. I did my part, now you have to set things right again ... Kill me," the hoarse voice was simply too empty and lifeless. He cannot read the boy.

"What made you think that I would actually care for your brother's best interest?" he lied. Secretly, he was more than caring. He was obsessed with his _toy_.

To his annoyance, Ichiru chuckled, "You are here, aren't you?"

For once, Kaname was lost for words.

"I've lived with a pureblood. I have an idea of what had transpired between the two of you so, I just know."

"You may continue with your fantasies, moreover I will not grant your death," he held back his wrath, making the ex-human to break into a knowing smile. "... But you're now indebted to me," his voice had taken a dangerous tone but Kiriyu Ichiru just shook his head in mockery.

"What are you ... A god?" the words dripped of sarcasm.

Kaname decided that he had enough and summoned his vanguard who had been silently trailing his shadows, "Seiren ..."

She appeared before them, casted a cold glare at the mystified newly turned Level-D before bowing to him. The female noble vampire moved in to place sharp fingernails against the tattooed neck, letting him know that she will decapitate him upon Kaname's instruction. However, the ex-human was unfazed.

"She shall escort you to a temporary holdout. You're to stay there until I come back for you."

"Or ...?" Ichiru jeered and in turn, Seiren pressed her digits into the neck, breaking the skin and drawing blood.

"Or I will kill your brother myself," he regarded the ex-human coldly. He watched the smirk fade away, replaced by a pair of thinly pursed worried lips. The amethyst eyes had taken on a darker shade. The evil twin had gotten the message. But the concern for his brother might be because of Tomohisa's suggestion that a part of him was currently lies in Kiriyu Zero. It was more a display of self-interest rather than of brotherly love.

Satisfied, he focused his energy and blasted a gaping hole in the wall; causing choking plumes of dust and debris to flood the room. He texted Kain Akatsuki, telling him to head towards a place named 'Midori', casted a last look on the frail unmoving Level-D for the last time and earned a reassuring nod from the loyal Seiren.

He had Kiriyu Ichiru in his hands. Kuran Kaname could not believe his fortune.

000000000

The rain had stopped, they cut their way through the misty dawn as silently as they could, avoiding the sharp rocks that littered the river banks for three and a half hours. He had suggested the blond vampire walking before him to stick close to the streams as the water will enable them to leave no visible tracks or scents. Plus, there were less tress and bushes to serve as potential ambush points.

Aidou still had that haversack on his back. The blond had insisted that they put on the ugly green baggy clothes on and get rid of their tattered ones because they needed to get warm. He had refused him flat out at first but when Aidou accused him of secretly being an exhibitionist and a nudist, he growled and complied. Deep down, he felt grateful for Aidou's thoughtfulness but he masked it with annoyance. The foul moth-ball saturated fabric was so old, paper-stiff, in vomit-green shade and emblazoned with the word "MIDORI" in crusty dark red on the back. It was no doubt the uniform worn by the workers of that slaughterhouse back in the heydays.

"How much further Kiriyu?"

"Check the map," he barked back.

Aidou dropped the haversack onto the wet ground and reached in for the ancient piece of paper. He unfolded it not too gently and accidentally ripped halfway through a section; he grimaced, and mumbled "So much for playing boy scouts ... How old is this thing, 50 years old ...? Ever heard of GPS ...?" the vampire griped under his breath. Then, the striking blue eyes locked onto his, "Come over here," Aidou commanded.

Zero rolled his eyes lazily but decided to rile the blond up later, "Can't you do it yourself _princess_? I thought you're the all rounded genius." He stalked up to Aidou and yanked the large piece of paper away. Aidou snorted scornfully.

He studied it for a few seconds, relying on his past training, "We're about here," he tapped a spot on the snaking blue lines, which indicates the streams they had been following. "We need to get here," the marked cross was about three centimetres away from their current spot. "... Seven to nine kilometres away, once we get to this ridge or cliff; it's going to be a down climb. We could go the longer way round but I figured we could use an element to surprise by getting there earlier," he traced a sudden tight layer of multiple lines with finger, emphasizing the steep drop of terrain.

"Superb. Now let's move faster." Aidou snatched the map and stuffed it back into the pack. Not bothering to fold it back. He saddled the bag on and got ready to move again.

"Not so fast, let's think this out for a second," he stopped Aidou by wrenching him back roughly by the haversack.

Aidou made a noncommittal noise and glared at him with those brilliant blue eyes. His golden hair had long dried and recovered their usual vigour. The tresses moved like rippling silk threads. He loathed the wraithlike beauty that graced that perfectly chiselled face. He was not envious, only that to his consternation, Aidou's face made him calm and secure; and that was really fucked up. _I'm blaming the vampire hormones._

"What now? We wasted about seven and a half hours trekking like mules and I want to get this over with ... Whack Tomohisa and his bloodsucking fanged-monkey bunch, get that stupid memory crystal and get out of here. To hell with figuring out motives and setting up tactics," Aidou wrung his fingers impatiently in the air.

He was feeling something wrong ever since he digested Aidou's blood; a simpering low thrumming in his guts bothered him but he was not going to explain it to Aidou. I was like some part of him had been abruptly cut off and all that was left was white noise. He waved it aside, "The bastard said twenty-four hours and now we're down to about fourteen to fifteen hours, and that's plenty of time. If we get there early and walk into who knows what trap, mess up and the fucking crystal ball is not there. We're going to die slowly like dissected cockroaches in those biology classes."

"Are you usually this pessimistic? Aren't you going to charge in there and just wham, bam kill them all like I think you will? You and I are pretty mean parasitical _cockroaches_, we'll be fine ..." Aidou huffed with irritation.

"I call it careful planning, _princess_. You don't know Tomohisa,"

"No I don't but, I sure know if I'm wasting precious time," Aidou scoffed. "Let's walk and talk ... You've heard of _management by walking_? I heard you're going to be the Vampire Hunter Association President one day so now, let's practice. Forget that I am a _vampire_ like _you_ too. We're mission partners from now on; I'm an all too human hunter rookie named Honey-bee Tornado and I'll make sure I bleed a lot," Aidou spewed his nonsense, trudged a few steps forward and turned to beckon him to follow, "Come on _gorgeous_, humour me. I might get killed today."

"Fuck, you're annoying ..." he followed him anyways.

The morning sunrays filtered through the leaves above their heads, piercing down to the foggy rocky earth like invisible towering tombstones. Yes, tombstones ... He had been thinking of those in the past hour, omens of his impending demise. He shrugged the thought aside. They had been moving fast, using their vampire speed to the fullest. He did not like it at all, utilizing his unexplored side but he needed to keep up with the yellowish blur in front of him. It irked him that he could pursue it with ease. The landscape was gradually changing; sparser trees, rockier ground and he felt the strong gust of wind barraging mercilessly against his face. The rock cliff was up ahead.

Then he saw Aidou's lonely outline cutting against the harsh sunrays. Fierce gust of wind were ruffling his hair as he stood statue like by the edge of the precipice; studying the sudden drop into the swirling mist rising amongst the treetops below. The face was uncharacteristically solemn, contemplating before slowly turning towards him. "Here's the frontier ... What now?" Aidou dropped the filthy haversack ungracefully onto the ground.

The air around them shifted, both of them could feel the impending threat approaching like a swarm of gnats. The rustling of dried falling, leaves grew louder and louder despite of the wind howling in their ears. He cracked his knuckles and shrugged his shoulders in indifference; ignoring his long silvery bangs fluttering wildly in the wind, lashing cruelly onto his eyeballs and licked his dried, chapped lips.

"We kill them."

000000000

"_Kaname-sama said we should head to Midori," said Kain, scrunching his eyebrows tightly after he read another text on his cell. _

"_Where precisely is Midori?" echoed an equally puzzled Souen. The female Kuran shook her head and shot an inquiring look at him. He knows the place all right, so does Cross. The bespectacled hunter gripped the wheels and pressed on the accelerator._

That was about an hour and a half ago. Now lo and behold, the five of them, the _rag-tag-rescue- squad_ were standing in front of a hulking rusty, zinc-sheet walled building with a giant red lettered sign that reads "MIDORI". The front door had been destroyed and hung precariously on its hinges, swaying and creaking. It looked like an old abandoned processing plant of some sort with the old weed covered gravel road and obvious sign of neglect. Despite of it all, the recent rain-washed tire tracks told another tale. Somebody had been there.

The vampires told Cross they had smelled fresh fuel and led them to an ancient but well-maintained electrical generator, indicating that the building was lately used. Kain and Ruka voiced their suspicion that there were life inside the building; a hunter and a vampire to be exact. So Cross had requested for Ruka to guard over Yuuki while the _boys_ checks out the premise.

Much to Yuuki's dismay, neither Aidou nor Zero was found but instead, Kaito hauled an unknown, heavily beaten, chained and dazed human hunter which Cross had identified as a Gouda Naoyuki; a hunter who had failed to report back to work for almost a month, a close aide of Tomohisa's and without a doubt one of Tomohisa's underlings in the latest mishap. He was found kneeling unresponsively in the middle of the building's filthy mud sloshed floor. Upon Ruka's reluctant examination, she had deducted that the man was under some sort of psychological directive to stay passive and suspected it was one of Aidou's handiworks.

She had also sniffed the menacing hunter issued manacles slapped around the wrist and confirmed that there was a mixture of Kiriyu Zero's, Aidou Hanabusa's and some unidentified and most likely perished Level-Es on it. Yuuki breathe a sigh of relief because they had proof that her two missing friends were very much likely still alive, had a chance to retaliate, presently on the move, and waited anxiously to tell Kain Akatsuki of the positive news.

It was Ruka's sharp intake of breath that diverted their attention to Kain who also came out of the building with his find. This time it was the badly injured missing guard named Takahashi. The Aidou clan was immediately notified and would be arriving at the scene to collect the severely blood-drained Level-C. This time it was Kaito who had made the inference that that was also the deed of the missing Aidou Hanabusa since Zero was a blood-denying prude but, the hunter weapon inflicted wounds would be likely one of Zero's contributions to their escape.

Cross had found three sets of very dusty and bloody tattered clothing on the floor, along with Gouda's hunter issued weapon, a spiky flail generally known as the morning star. Ruka had scoffed at the primitivism of the weapon of choice but Yuuki cut her off by citing her relief that neither Aidou's nor Zero's blood was on it. Then the bespectacled hunter produced a very rusty curved piece of metal, an old meat hook saturated in blood. This, Ruka pointed out, had traces of Kiriyu's blood at the base and stank of Level-E blood at the sharp end. Meaning, it was Kiriyu Zero who had wielded the piece of metal as a weapon, scraping his hands on it in the process.

Cross had instructed Kain and Ruka to inspect the upper floor of the warehouse while he called Yagari and asked the one-eyed man to send in the hunters to scour the area. Satisfied, he regarded Yuuki with his tender most expression, pulling her into his embrace and told her things would be all right because Zero was too stubborn to die. The chaos in the warehouse was the telltale sign that the two were working together and would probably on the hunt for the perpetrator by themselves. The two was known to be the most stubbornly impulsive and prideful characters they had ever known, in dissimilar ways of course.

Finally, Kain and Ruka returned to report that the upper office floor had been trashed into obliteration but the floor were covered with the Level-B and D's blood. Kain also had positively identified a deep indent in the wooden floor which been made by a katana blade. It was filled with Aidou's coagulated blood, bits of his flesh and shards of bone. However, he concluded that Aidou had managed to overcome his injuries because Gouda's state of forced unconsciousness was recent. It was in fact, one of Aidou's specialties.

Suddenly, Kuran Yuuki had let out a surprised yelp as the bronze wolf emblem glowed red hot, causing her to drop it onto the ground. A large pentagram of about one meter in radius had appeared on the gravel and some kind of a small twenty centimetre long pointer had indicated the north eastern direction, moving steadily until it came to abrupt halt for several seconds, Kiriyu was up somewhere in the looming alpine forest. Sceptical, and much to Yuuki's alarm, Ruka had absentmindedly kicked the relic a few feet away but the same pentagram reappeared and the pointer still indicated the same direction, only this time it was shaking and flickering wildly. The damned vampire hunter must be engaging in something that required him to move that frantically.

He watched in all, trying to digest the corny cliché-ness of the whole situation, of vampires and hunters working together to rescue a mere Level-D of a hunter and a Level-B brat, using a godforsaken relic as a tool, hanging onto a preposterous _connection_ between a pureblood vampire who unashamedly clung to the flimsy thin thread of sibling love, a bond she, a princess of the revered Kuran bloodline claims transcends blood and race to an ex-human vampire hunter. He scoffed at the absurdity of the whole event, pushed his palm into his face, shaking it from side to side at its irony; and he wondered about the other Kuran sibling. _What is the bastard up to?_

In the meantime, Kuran Yuuki had collected then emblem off the ground and tucked it into her sling bag. She turned towards her adoptive father and stated her resolve, "I'm going after them."

"Through the forest?" the man with the ridiculously girly ponytail squeaked in concern. Obviously Cross had forgotten that the girl was a vampire, an animalistic monster that bears a human appearance, he sneered inwardly, narrowing his greenish eyes in antipathy.

"You won't be able to catch up with them that way, your mighty highness ..." he broke the awkward stillness that had casted upon them all.

* * *

**A/N – **_My 'energy level' is getting lower and lower lately. However, to date (16/2/2011), this story had 3,221 hits ever since I've published it in Oct 2010. That's gives an average of 293 reads per chapter. Pretty cool? I think so too ... So my depression went away a bit. ^_^ Thanks for sticking to this fic! Drop a review please... Don't read and run. I want to hear from you. Even just a live saying, "I've read it" I really could use some TLC right now. Tired. Can't wait for White Day (14__th__ March). Need to recharge._

To **bloodyLily** – Sigh.. I'm speechless luv. Where did you get all that hyper-ness from? Pass 300kW/hr to me please.. Thanks for reviewing and pressing me to work harder on the fic. Cool? Don't get an account. I changed my mind. See, I'm ranting now. Geez..

To **Zio** – Glad you found it interesting. The lack of reviews made me do a double take. "Did chapter 11 suck? But where's the fire?" Thank you!

To **Ichirulovesme** – Oh yeah, he's back with a 'bang'. Thanks!

To **bloody child** – I hope my princess-senpai can change your mind about Aidou. ^^ Thank you ...!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the VK characters_

**Warning:**_Slow chapter. Grammatical errors up ahead. Nothing new about that. Readers, if you have any suggestion, requests or ideas, please leave them in the reviews because I'm going to end this story in the next chapter. Thanks. Read away...!_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 13

3 ...

His instincts were telling him that some _things_ were approaching.

2 ...

He glanced at his equally tense blond haired companion.

1 ...

He could hear several pairs of feet landing on hard ground, charging towards them, breaking dried twigs like crunchy crisp crackers.

0 ...

He had never expected 1, 2, 3, 4, ... 11 of those _things_ to charge at them all at once. Precisely seven males and four females threatened to split his eardrums with their screeching and screaming.

_Oh, bother..._

He didn't get to check on Aidou because all of the males decided to gang up on him; pouncing and swiping their talons at him randomly. Hand-to-hand combat was not his favourite way of exterminating Level-Es because obviously, he would inevitably end up with more than just a sore trigger-finger. He wasn't complaining but it's a mystery of why does blonds always gets all the girls' attention.

_Girls would choose to fight with the girly one, wouldn't they...?_

A fanged, pot-bellied yellow-eyed pig managed to barrel into him right after he twisted the neck of a gangly teenage brat. Zero was sent crashing painfully into a boulder. Thanks to the obese middle-aged E, another of them jumped him and tried to bite his neck. He shoved his left arm into the mouth, and jammed his right fingers into the eye sockets with a sickening squish. The eyeballs were successfully punctured and the E screeched in agony, flapped on the ground like a bloody eyed-trout. The blood on his hands smelled funny. It must have been the drugs.

_Two down, five to go..._

He saw Aidou from the corner of his eye. It seemed that he was not the only one who had resorted to fight dirty. Aidou had unceremoniously flung one of the banshees over the cliff. Zero could not help but grin at the ingenuity of the feat. The Level-Es might survive the plunge but not without serious injuries, maybe they would eventually bleed to death. Getting rid of them in that fashion was not 100% effective but it would buy them some time. So when the middle-aged fanged pot-bellied pig came chugging in like a freight train at him again, he used the momentum to flip the Level-E over his shoulder, sending the beastly tub of lard on a free-fall adventure.

He turned to face the remaining four Es that had formed a tight circle around him. Then they took turn to jab and lunge at him. Zero dodged and wove around them, determined to test the so-called _effectiveness_ of Tomohisa's so-called soldier drug on the Es. Some of the sloppy blows had connected but Zero stayed firm on his feet, delivering some nasty kicks and fist combos at the startlingly organized bloodthirsty yellow-eyed quartet. He had to admit that it was alarming to see some kind of an attacking _system_ and teamwork among the Es. They were supposed to be crazed, rabid and messed up.

"Quit screwing around, Kiriyu!" Aidou bellowed in the distance. "I don't want to end up a widower..." Zero could hear the leer in his tone. Aidou had _finished_ throwing the last of the female over the cliff.

"Shut up, princess ...!" he barked in annoyance. Changing his stance, he drove his hands into a chest cavity and wrenched out a heart. The Level-E slowly turned to dust and based on his experience, slow means _new_. In normal cases, such brutality will serve as a warning to the other Es and they will flee however, the remaining three turned even more violent. They pounced on him all at once, biting and scratching him wherever they could get their fangs and claws on.

Zero grabbed a head in a chokehold, turned his torso and bashed it against the jagged rocky ground. He heard the skull crack and the Level-E scampered away. One of them managed to bite on his left calf like a bloodhound so he kicked it in the face with his other leg, scissored them around the Es neck and severed it off the spine. The creature dissolved like grains of damp sand; not good. The Es were recently turned Level-Ds, he concluded.

Aidou got to him just in time to pull off the last one who was pinning and choking him with the sharp talons. The unfortunate E had joined the other fives' fate over the fatal drop. Aidou had flung it away like a ragdoll with his abnormal strength.

"Oh yuck ... Why didn't you just kill those ones?" Aidou pointed towards the three thoroughly injured and screeching Es doing flip-flops on the ground. One was the one with the squashed eyeball while the other was the one with the broken vertebrae while the last one was the one with the split open skull. The smell of their drug spiked blood burned his nose like acidic fumes.

"I want to see how fast they'll heal," Zero said while sitting back up, assessing his biggest injuries; the gnawed right forearm and his left calf. His garments were soaked in his blood. "Damn, I'll need some tetanus shots ..." he griped.

"I never knew you have a sadistic bone in you," chided Aidou as he kicked the one with the head injury really hard, indenting the cranium even deeper; causing the E to foam at the mouth. The thing was having a seizure and Aidou's face contorted in revulsion.

"Look who's talking..." Zero leered, limping up towards the blinded Level-E. The creature had recently stopped trashing and had moved to snack on the one with the broken spine on all fours. It may be blind but the nose must be working quite well. Zero scanned the area for anything he could use as a weapon and he saw exactly the thing he needed; a four foot long dried beech wood on the ground. He picked it up, walked up to the two Es.

The blinded E had crawled on top of the quadriplegic and bit into the grotesquely twisted neck. Zero swiftly pressed the blind one flush against the cripple with his foot and staked their hearts in one clean stab, turning them into dust. Again, he deduced that the vampires took too long to dissipate completely; they were recently turned. Meaning, they would have to find which pureblood was behind the whole thing. He kept his face was blank as he flung the offending piece of wood at Aidou, beckoning the blond to finish off the spasm wrecked scum.

Zero's indifference disturbed Aidou. He wondered how much had the vampire hunter changed ever since the Kuran Rido incident, since the last time he had Kuran Kaname's blood. The ex-human used to empathize with his kill to the point of jeopardizing his own safety. Aidou had his sources, so he knew of Zero's early struggle. However, the silver haired Level-D standing in front of him at the moment had not even bat an eye over the kills.

"What the hell's going on with you ...?"

"Huh?"

"The Level-Es were once human..."

"Of course they were,"

"They were once human like you."

"Tch, I know... So what's your point, princess?"

"..."

Zero stared at the blond noble for a few seconds before walking up to him. Those amethyst eyes shone dangerously as their pierced into the turquoise counterparts. Aidou had never seen them up close before and he could not help himself from getting sucked into those mysterious pools, drowning in their intensity.

Without warning, Zero snatched the makeshift wooden weapon and drove it into the convulsing E's heart without even breaking eye contact. Aidou gulped involuntarily. The vampire hunter was doing it on purpose.

"They are Es, princess. If I turn into one, I expect you to do the same," the steely pitch of Zero's voice sent chills down his spine.

_I don't think I could... Not anymore. _Aido thought, wrenching his eyes away.

"How touching ..." both of them heard the voice and searched the surroundings. Zero gripped the beech wood tighter and shifted into an offensive stance.

There were some rustling in the nearby trees. Aidou braced himself as he saw the suit clad Kurohashi jumped down from a tree about ten meters away from them. They were too preoccupied with the Es and had missed the Level-Bs presence.

"Looks like you've outgrown your dislike of lowly beings, Hanabusa..." The brown haired vampire scoffed at Aidou while appraising Zero with a disgusted look plastered on his face. "Or maybe you're hopelessly ensnared by his beauty."

_Beauty my ass..._

Zero snarled at the insult, took a step forward but Aidou caught him by the arm and pulled him back. He immediately shook Aidou's hand off.

"You're just jealous Tatsuya..." Aidou sneered. The silver haired vampire hunter glowered at Aidou but the big blue eyes glared back at him, telling him to stay out. Much to Zero's consternation, he could not help but complied. His uncharacteristic _obedience_ baffled him. Then he remembered their blood exchange and winced; he would grill Aidou about it afterwards.

Kurohashi smiled at their antics and chuckled, "Perhaps..."

Immediately, Aidou stomped on the haversack like a two year-old and glared at Kurohashi.

The green eyes lit up immediately, "Don't need to thank me. Tomohisa disagrees though." Kurohashi must have referred to the blood tablets, the map and the clothes on their backs. According to Tomohisa's _ranting_ back at the Midori plant, it was Kurohashi who had readied the _supplies_ in that black bag.

"Why?" Aidou asked.

"You know why...?"

"Kaname-sama...?" Aidou guessed, gritting his teeth.

"Right on... You can do whatever you want to Tomohisa as long as I get Kuran's head," Kurohashi stared at Zero intently. "I may even help you skin that yellow-eyed snake, hunter. If you lure Kuran out for me..."

"How dare you..!" Aidou grew livid.

Zero could not believe his ears; _Kurohashi was going after Kuran Kaname?_ He wondered how he and Aidou would fit into the puzzle. He might have an idea of why Tomohisa wanted him but, Kuran? Plus, why would Kurohashi believe that he, a lowly Level-D vampire hunter could lure Kuran out? His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he thought about it and somehow, Zero had a hunch but he rather not dwell on it. _There's no way I could have an effect on that bastard..._

"See you later, Hanabusa..." the vampire named Kurohashi winked deviously. "Hurry up before Tomohisa gets there," he added and disappeared.

As soon as the Level-B's presence was gone, Aidou sank to his knees and shoved his palms against his face, shaking his head from side-to-side. Zero grunted impatiently, "What the hell was that?"

"Give me a minute," said Aidou. He was fisting the hair on the back of his nape, messing his wavy golden curls. His body language was of someone wallowing in regret.

"We don't have a minute. 30 seconds..."

"Oh, please Kiriyu Zero... The problem had just been blown out of proportions. He's after Kaname-sama."

"Oh, come on princess Aidou... Do you really believe the almighty Kuran will even dip his sacred fingers in this bloody mess? I bet he's at home playing house with Yuuki."

Aidou snapped his gaze on him, "Are you really that dense? You don't know it yet, huh?"

"Know what?"

"YOU _mean_ something to him!" Aidou's bellowed his bottled up frustration in that single sentence. Zero stared blankly at him, making him angrier than before, "Don't you get it Zero? He gave you his blood once, no... Twice at least! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Aidou stalked up to him and grabbed him by the collars, bringing their faces closer.

_Did the airhead just called me 'Zero'? _His conscious recoiled in horror because a part of him felt freakishly warm and fuzzy all the sudden.

"It doesn't..." Zero blinked his amethyst eyes in confusion. He grasped both of Aidou's hands with his own to pry them off his clothing. "It was just... Blood," he knew Aidou could tell that he was lying because the turquoise irises dilated in unbidden wrath.

"Liar, his blood tied you to him! He gave you his _pure_ blood. How dare you say that you felt nothing for him after _that_," Aidou hissed angrily. Consequently, Zero remembered the embarrassing banter they had back at the Midori slaughterhouse.

_"Look Kiriyu Zero, do you need to hear it out of my mouth? Can you be a little more sensitive about how I feel about my revered pureblood consenting you, a lowly Level-D, a hunter, to sample his sacred blood, while I, this loyal follower of his had never even dreamed of spilling it?"_

_"Yeah, I know you're in love with him, so help me because it unfortunately did happened but why the 'being killed if he finds out' part?"_

_"Didn't it ever occur to you why exactly he did __it__?"_

_"To get me off Yuuki and turn me into his killer puppet,"_

_"Well, it appears as so but have it ever crossed your mind that he could have ordered me, Kain or Ichijo to __donate __some of __our__ blood to sustain you just enough and ordered you to be his killer puppet as you decorously implied instead? He is a pureblood and believe me even you could do very little to defy him,"_

"_..."_

_"Tell me Kiriyu Zero, how did it feel when I drank your blood? How was it when you sucked your fill from me?"_

"_..."_

_"Was it as good as drinking from Kaname-sama?"_

His cheeks flamed red at the memory. "Ridiculous, princess..." Zero managed to yank Aidou's left hand off his collar and gripped it firmly to prevent Aidou from clawing it onto him again. "My genes don't work the way you freaks' does."

Aidou froze upon hearing his remark and his face evolved from fury to something akin to disappointment. "You're a _freak_ too. Just like the rest of us," said Aidou.

"Shut the fuck up...!"

"Let me tell you something... Normal, sane vampires don't go randomly sharing their blood for some very good reasons. It's like how normal, ethical humans don't go randomly screw anything with legs," Aidou licked his lips, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. He shook Zero by with that hand he still have on Zero's collar.

Zero gripped Aidou's left hand tighter, making the blond wince in pain.

He opened his mouth when Aidou stopped shaking him around, "What the hell are you saying, princess?"

"There are emotional consequences if you willingly let other's drink you blood!"

"What?"

"You heard me... Don't you get it? Think...! Letting other's sink their fangs in your neck, suck your blood is the ultimate sign of submission. Do you know how much it takes to turn yourself into a willing victim and trust the goddamned _partner_ not to drain you dry?"

"No..."

"Once a vampire undergoes that state of acquiescence, the act will be eventually rendered into devotion, longing and even obsession. Imagine what would happen if the transfer happened twice"

"But I don't feel that way towards that bastard...!"

"Of course you don't. _You_ never gave _your_ blood to Kaname-sama. _He_'s the one who feels those things about you!"

"That's a whole bunch of crap. Devotion? Longing? Obsession...? Bullshit...! Impossible! You're delusional!" Zero almost screamed at Aidou.

Immediately, hurt flashed in those brilliant turquoise eyes and to his horror, he felt a painful heave in his heart for causing it. Something must have shown on his face because now Aidou was smiling bitterly at him.

"Kaname-sama is somewhere out there searching for you. Mark my words because I'll make you eat every single one of yours once he makes his appearance," Aidou had let go of him but Zero still had the fragile looking wrist clamped in his hold. "I can't wait to see your face the moment he decides to kill me for drinking your blood, Zero..."

_Zero..? Once may be an accident but twice is more than a coincidence..._

"What did you just called me?" he glared disbelievingly and released Aidou's hand.

Aidou said nothing. The brief flash of hurt on his face was now gone only to be replaced by wrath. He turned away hastily to walk towards the edge of the cliff. Zero rolled his eyes. Aidou was giving him the silent treatment.

_Gaahh... Typical...!_

He wanted to dismiss but the blonds' weird behaviour does have an effect on him. He wanted to reach out and make _amends_...? His own tumultuous yearning for Aidou shocked him. Perhaps Aidou's explanations earlier were true after all.

_Damn hormones... _he cursed.

"Okay, fine... I believe you. Quit pouting already. It's disgusting!"

Aidou whirled around to face him. Those blue eyes looked suspiciously glazed.

"Fuck! You're crying...?" Zero nearly shrieked in dismay.

"Huh?" Aidou reached up and rubbed his eyes. "I... I can't help it. Shit..." his face flushed crimson.

"Damn hormones..." Zero voiced his thoughts aloud. He bit his bottom lip and stomped towards Aidou, startling the other vampire.

"Look, senpai..." Zero cleared his throat while simultaneously fighting his traitorous instincts to wrap his arms around Aidou. It scared him. "I don't do this every day but..." he abstained from the urge and raised his right hand to pat the top of Aidou's head like he had always done to Yuuki to comfort her. The yellow mass of golden yellow felt like silken strands of spun gold against his roughly callused fingers.

Aidou froze. His eyes widened in confusion as he asked the obvious, "What are you doing...?"

"Petting you like the pathetic little doggy you are..." he hoped he sounded sarcastic enough to hide his clashing emotions. _Aidou was right after all._ He felt it, the aching sense to comfort, to reassure and to even seize the noble into his hold. Zero fought it all back.

"I'm not a dog!" Aidou barked furiously and went ballistic.

Aidou _ballistically _shoved Zero away while _ballistically _pouting like a puffer fish, _ballistically_ ranted and cursed Zero under his breath. The thought that he had found Aidou's antics _cute _were scaring the lights out of him.

Zero let the blond walk away towards the cliff again. Aidou had his back to him, the balled up fists shook at his sides. Exhaling loudly, Aidou squared his shoulders and turned to face him.

"Look... This might sound freakishly sappy but, I need to know..." he diverted his clear turquoise eyes away from him. "Do you really feel nothing... for me?" Aidou spoke carefully, a blush creeping to colour his cheeks.

_Uh... awkward..._ _You're plain sappy all right_...

Aidou was staring at him with anticipation. He brushed the nagging urge to smack the blond.

"I wish you didn't even ask the question, princess... So I won't need to tell the lie," Zero stuffed his hands into the ugly green work pants pocket, hoping that his haughty body language will help to mask his uneasiness. He also hoped Aidou could decipher his hidden meaning; that he does feel the abnormal pull, like an untraceable short circuit in his internal mechanisms.

He burst a few veins because Aidou's unabashed grin had caused his blood pressure skyrocket to a new record high.

00000000000

The hunter called Tomohisa Atsushi was an astonishing character. He was related to the Kiriyu twins by blood in the form of their bastard half-uncle. He had done something to the twins during their childhood. Zero had been undoubtedly abused while Ichiru had been fearful of him; he had seen the younger twin's reaction to prove his theory. The picture in his pocket spoke volumes. His blood boiled, he could feel his aura seeping out of his barrier and he quickly pulled it back. The silver haired hunter must not know that he was being tailed by an angry pureblood vampire. The SUV had turned to a desolated side road.

Tomohisa had orchestrated Kiriyu Zero's and Aidou Hanabusa's kidnapping. He had been keeping the other presumed dead Kiriyu pair in an old hunter research facility. It turned out that Hiou Shizuka had turned both of the boys after all; Zero on the night their parents had been slain by the mad avenging pureblood, Ichiru sometime later. Kaname was impressed with Shizuka's ingenuity in sealing the other twin as a human. She must have had grander plans in initiating her visions of anarchy, revenge or whatever it was but he had thwarted her in mid-step. Now, her hidden black knight had fallen into his hands and he had his castle, Seiren to keep him under control. He would pursue this vile amber-eyed creature who had dared to snatch both of his knights. All he had to do was to get to the knights before his queen arrives. Kaname had a lot planned for Tomohisa.

_An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Repay evil with evil..._

The vehicle had stopped and he saw Tomohisa step out of it. There was a stone and concrete structure protruding off the ground. He realized that it was some sort of an old bunker. It appeared to be almost abandoned but Kaname could sense something else too.

_Level-Es._

A multitude of them. Tomohisa had disappeared in the structure, his humanlike aura blending and dissolving within the havoc waves of the ex-humans' presence. They were wild, chaotic and crazed. Kaname focused on Zero's but he can't sense the vampire hunter. There were no sign of Aidou either. So, he stayed out of sight to observe and wait.

00000000000

"Ouch! Why did you stop?" Aidou screeched, rubbing his nose. They had scaled down the rock face with ease. They were vampires. They had a natural adaptability to execute those kinds of feats. Too bad he was not equipped with an auto braking system hence, he had failed to notice Zero's sudden stop and crashed into the hard muscled back.

"Shut up, _princess_!"

"What now, _darling_?" Aidou huffed impatiently. The tease-battle had grown tiring.

"Tch.. whatever. This place's familiar."

"Huh? You're telling me that you've seen this mushroom before?" Aidou kicked an innocent spotted toadstool off the damp ground, smirking at Zero.

"Urgh.. You're fucking irritating!" Zero snarled at him. "I've been here before. I've trained here..."

"This is in the middle of nowhere. What the heck are you doing training out here... Wrestle bears?"

"Hell, I was trying to _communicate _with your airheaded brain but, fuck you're wasting my time... Move it!"

"Kurohashi Tatsuya blames Kaname-sama for his brother's death..." Aidou mumbled all of the sudden.

"Wha...?" Zero whirled around and stared unbelievingly at Aidou. "What kind of a flying fuck's randomness is that?"

"I'm communicating..."

"Ooooh thrilling. The snotty crying brat I saw must be him. You were there with Kuran too." Zero had referred to his visions.

"You saw _that_?"

"Unfortunately yes..."

"Kaname-sama killed his brother to protect me. Kurohashi Reizo tried to harm Kaname-sama and I stopped him. Rei-san made me into a hostage but Kaname-sama terminated him."

"Why I am not surprised. That bastard kills anyth-"

"No!" Aidou hissed, cutting Zero off and grabbed him by the arms. "It's not like that. The Kurohashis are pro-council. Rei-san had been ordered to eradicate Kaname-sama when he came to my residence. I got in between them and tried to shield Kaname-sama from Rei-san's attack but Kaname-sama had it under control."

"Explain why Kurohashi Tatsuya's _helping _us now?" Zero tugged at Aidou's ugly green jacket and yanked the haversack strap.

"I think he wanted to make sure we get to Tomohisa."

"Any ideas why? It's doesn't make sense."

"He's using us all. You, me, Takahashi, the stinking giant of a hunter, that damned Tomohisa and the Es to get to Kaname-sama."

"You're saying he's double crossing his gang and help the hostages escape better all in order to seize that damned arrogant Kuran? That's pretty farfetched, don't you think?"

"Maybe. What made you think you've been here?"

"The terrain's familiar. I've been here with-" Zero stopped midsentence. He gritted his teeth and looked away.

"...Tomohisa...?" Aidou finished for him. The look on Zero's face was something he had never seen before. It was hurt mixed with anger.

Zero did not say anything. He turned back to resume their track.

Aidou sighed. He followed Zero's lead. They walked for a few paces before Zero stopped again.

"Look senpai... I don't know how to go about this... About Tomohisa-, " Zero hesitated. Aidou watched those broad shoulders droop as Zero inhaled deep and exhaled. He had thrown his head back to stare up at the rays filtering through the trees while letting his hands hang limp by his side.

Aidou could sense Zero's aggravation from his body language. He felt his own heart being sliced. He was glad that he could only see the back of Zero's head. He would not risk looking at Zero's face because he was afraid of his own reaction.

_Would you feel better if I wrap my arms around you?_

"That man... is someone that I want to kill for the things he had done and caused. I wanted to so much but-," Zero paused.

"You can't because he's a human hunter?" Aidou guessed.

_... And your kin..._

Zero nodded his head. Aidou realized that the stoic vampire hunter had just done something out of his character. Zero had shown a glimpse of his vulnerable emotions to him making a faint sense of satisfaction spread within him.

"There are things far much worse than death, Kiriyu." Aidou said, reaching out his hand to touch the back of Zero's head. "I'll help you get your justice." He felt the tips of his fingers brush against the fine silvery strands but immediately retracted them back.

The vampire hunter must have felt the touch because he had turned back to face him. "Stop saying and doing those sorts of things, senpai. You're confusing me."

"What do you mean?" Aidou smiled because Zero's eyes had darkened.

"Fuck you...!"

"Stop looking at me like that or I'll let you,"

"Now you're creeping me out."

"Sorry. Can't help it. Hormones," Aidou chuckled pass Zero.

* * *

**A/N- **How was it? I rushed this one. I was bored listening to people's endless grovelling over skype, pretended to take notes but I wasn't even listening. Working from home for the time being. I can't drive yet. *3*. Now I regret not having a car with an auto-transmission.

Thank you kind people who had reviewed. Your words had encouraged me to slack off from work whenever I can (Tee... hee... hee...) coz I can't wait to finish this story and get on with the other one. Eovin, peanut, bloody child, Iridescent Wind, bloodyLily, Ichirulovesme, Kim, and firda. I read them over and over again with a stupid smile plastered on my face. They meant a lot to me. Yes I agree about Kaname's sexual frustration Eovin, bloody child... I want to torture him a bit coz he's so perfect. There would be a hissy fit all right. I'll write that one in. Thanks you two. Ichirulovesme, Kim, Iridescent Wind; I'll try to _use_ Ichiru wisely. Treading on precarious waters now. I wouldn't want to ruin anything. Kim, I look forward to your reviews (and PMs) as always! Firda and Lily darling, check your texts. I can't thank you people enough.

Remember to drop your thoughts or point out the stupid mistakes I made. Click to review. Chapter 14 will be the final end game. I brought Ichiru back coz bloodyLily wants the twin back and added more Zero/Aidou banter coz Iridescent Wind likes them. How about you?^^

.../


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the VK characters

**A/N&Warning:**_ Hmm.. I changed my mind and I'm backing out of my word. __**I can't end the story in the fourteenth chapter**__. I have to separate this monstrously angst-y part. It's a short one but __**caution**__ for raped and abused. Poor Zero... *cries* (T^T) you'll flame me for sure. I'll get the extinguisher ready. The things I write are according to my mood. I'm a bit demented depressed so I typed, typed and typed... reread it and go "WTF..?" myself. I can't omit this part so I'll release it earlier. Skip if you can't stomach a hurt Zero. I have to do this for the story. *cue horrid pathetic wailing*_

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 14

Zero was right about his hunch. He found out that the surroundings were getting more and more familiar. The more they walk, the more Zero registered the landscape. He had been there before. They were at the place the hunters called the 'Northern Outpost'; an old abandoned battleground between the hunters and vampires. Tomohisa had chosen the place as his training site because of the desolateness of the location. None of the other hunters favoured the place because it reminds them of the bitter war they nearly lost.

The yellowing, crumbling map they had been using must be older than the war, he deduced. That was why he was unable to recognize the place from the topography. Nowadays there were roads leading to the location. If memory serves him correctly, they would be heading towards the old bunkers. Zero scanned the surroundings for anything familiar.

Minutes later, he spotted a giant white oak about twenty feet in circumference at the ground, and at a point ten feet above the ground, the branches begin to radiate from the trunk. This white oak was at least two hundred years of age; Tomohisa had once told him with kind twinkling eyes. That was where he had once been tied to and left for days because he failed to execute some charms Tomohisa had patiently taught him.

Zero would never try to become skilled at the things that Ichiru could potentially excel over him. Charms, spells and aura manipulation were meant for Ichiru so he had told himself and the rest of the hunters that he never had a niche for soft magical erudition, or swordsmanship, or the negotiation and diplomatic skills taught by their masters.

_Those are specifically designed for Ichiru and should be mastered by Ichiru alone..._

Zero was the imperfect, perfect son; the one to shoulder his clan's legacy and continue its glory. His parents had been frustrated with his _inability_ to learn the said skills so they had sought out for Tomohisa Atsushi's expertise. He had been sent to learn one-on-one with his father's illigimateprodigal genius half-brother, minus Ichiru. Ichiru had been doing fairly well in the regular lessons with Yagari so, Tomohisa would only have to focus exclusively on educating Zero, said his parents.

Having adopted the image of a stoic indifference since childhood, Zero found himself deserted by the persona he tried to embody every time he was with his private instructors. Zero became irritable and explosive; a facade he wore to discourage his previous teachers. It had worked on them so it should work on his kind, patient uncle too, he thought. Tomohisa would grow tired of his tantrums and give up, just like the rest.

Nevertheless, Tomohisa had seen through him and had forced him to learn, or _else_. Yet, Zero was loyal to his brother's best interest so, Zero chose to be punished and the punishments evolved from a teacher's reinforcing hand into predestined spite and lastly, into a sick obsession. Tomohisa's failure had caused the once kind and doting amber eyes to evolve into ones filled with malice and malevolence. All because of him, the impudent half-nephew named Kiriyu Zero.

Zero snapped into reality when they passed through a small, barren clearing littered by a sea of tiny whitish-gray granite. He remembered the pain he felt the time Tomohisa had made him run in circles barefoot over those sharp rocks for forgetting to smile that one time the older hunter praised him during sword practice.

That time, he had _accidentally succeeded _in countering Tomohisa's lunge with a clean Passata-Sotto; he had dropped his hand to the ground and lowered his body under Tomohisa's oncoming blade. Then he straightened his sword arm and hit Tomohisa back. He was not supposed to be _that_ good. Tomohisa praised with a dark knowing smile plastered across his handsome face while he paled in mortification. Then Zero had forgotten Tomohisa's unspoken rule; to smile back whenever praised. He had sealed his punishment.

Aidou had complained about those rocks cutting the soles of his precious feet, and grumbled again saying that the scent of Zero's blood was too much for him to bear.

Zero wanted to tell the blond that the pain he felt when Tomohisa pin his small adolescent sweat soaked body on those very rocks was far more agonizing than those sissy cuts under his feet.

During the course of his punishment, he had slowed down his pace in during the forty-seventh bout of his penalty lap, his body was telling him it was time to give up but he pushed on, his vision were mottled red, even the grey granite were stained with hundreds of his reddish footprints.

"_I'll punish you for being weak..."_

Tomohisa's chilling voice rang in his head. The paralyzing horror and shame he suffered afterwards when Tomohisa threw him onto the bed of stone razors and consequently robbed him of his innocence over and over again were far more excruciating, anaesthetizing the stings from the cuts on his raw bare back.

"_Accept this like a good boy, Zero... All of it, or I'll make Ichiru take your place..."_

Tomohisa's cruel laugh echoed off the barriers he erected around the memory. That was the beginning of Tomohisa's systematic torture, the spiralling point of descent into his disgraceful emasculinization. Tomohisa had taught him to suppress and transform his shame into iron-clad resolution. He had collected and balled up the viscous ignominy he endured every time he had to wipe of his blood that trickled down between his legs and solidified them into vendetta. He would hate anything that will harm both him and his brother. Zero had taken it all; each and every one of Tomohisa's never-ending vindictiveness for Ichiru's sake.

Although Tomohisa had failed to teach him any of the hunter skills that his parents wished him to learn, the older silver haired hunter had proven to him that there was no romantic illusions about_ bodily gratification_. Sex was merely an efficient pleasurable tool that could be utilised to manipulate, avenge or sabotage that can be heightened by physical pain. His teacher had robbed him of his chastity hence; he would forever be saddled with the fact that he was forever tainted, unclean and unworthy to be loved. The cruel amber eyes had permanently scorched those inerasable marks in his heart.

He was a fool to think that he had gotten over his trauma. He was a fool to believe that the loss of his humanity, his transformation into a despicable Level-D vampire was enough to erase his sufferings. Tomohisa had brought it back pelting on him like a torrential acidic rain.

Zero paused in his steps and scrunched his own eyes to will the disturbing images to go away. He doubled the barriers, wrapped it around with thorns so he would get hurt before he could ever reach into it and remember again, sealing it further into the back of his mind. He believed in his strength and summoned up the vowed ambition to make Tomohisa pay back for the things that he had both given and taken from him.

_With blood._

Aidou's concerned blue gaze was the first thing that he saw when he opened his eyes to the world again. Those full lips parted as to ask a question, his right hand was reaching out tentatively to touch him but Zero did not linger and proceeded with his trek. He sensed that Aidou had done the same.

The rocky clearing merged into the forest so, they had the trees as covers once more.

* * *

**A/N- **See what I mean? I can't put THIS piece of ugliness as part of the finale. Ugh.. I wanna puke. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Minta maaf! Es tut mir sehr lied! Je suis désolé! Lo siento! Start your fire people. I'm ready. The next update will be out in 3 days or maybe earlier. Maybe. I'm stuck somewhere I rather not mention. I made somebody bring my laptop over and I won't be seeing it till I get home. It'll give some cooling period.

Thanks people for your encouraging reviews. I think I've put you down with this, this... erm ghastly chapter. Eovin, Zio, Iridescent Wind, elspethie, Lily, bloody child, Kim and Yulia... I'll take in your thoughts and suggestions and write them in. As for now, you can unleash the nuke on me... (T^T)

.../


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the VK characters

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 15

The sun burns. It burns like it was a reminder that he was not worthy to tread on the earthen lands anymore.

_... Because you're no longer human... You'll turn to dust and scatter in the winds. Nothing left in your death, not even a body to be buried in her cool bowels... _

Zero fingered the right side of his neck, feeling the tattooed seal thrumming against his pulse. Something was up, he could tell. It was like an invisible force had been calling out for him and his soul had answered back. It was distracting him and worse, the white noise filled void was growing and expanding.

_Ichiru..._

He had been thinking of his dead twin for a while now. That simpering voice that used to echo in his mind had suddenly gone silent starting from the moment he sunk his fangs into Aidou's neck and drank the Level-B's blood. He did not like it at all. Ichiru was gone just like that and all what was left was that unexplainable emptiness.

Speaking of Aidou, the blond had been too quiet, walking almost soundlessly behind him. No smart quips, no scathing remarks no nothing. He stole a glance at his companion and was shocked to find those sharp turquoise eyes were locked onto his. Zero grunted in annoyance and continued onwards. They were getting nearer and nearer to the bunkers. Tomohisa would be there.

"Talk to me..." he heard Aidou's voice splitting the awkward silence.

Zero swallowed hard. His ugly memories are threatening to burst out of the barriers, "What about...?"

"Your pain," said Aidou a bit too bluntly.

"What the hell are you talking about...?" Evasiveness was the best option. Zero gritted his teeth and summoned his will to remain calm and not lash out at the other vampire.

"I can feel it Zero, whatever it is... Talk and we'll work it out. I need you to be clearheaded after this," Aidou's voice was soft, concerned and to his utter denial, he felt his own heart caving into those words.

However, pride made him chose anger over gratitude, "Zero... _We..._?" He growled dangerously and spun on his heels to face the alarmed Aidou. "Need...? I told you to stop confusing me!"

Maybe Aidou had just realized his slip up too because the aristocrat paled in mortification. His mouth opened and closed, unable to find his voice. Zero gave him a sinister smile, grabbed Aidou by the shoulders to pull him close and studied those panicked blue eyes. He knew Aidou was equally confused as he was; a consequence to their blood sharing but he could not resist the urge to transfer his ugly hate to the other vampire. So he would not suffer alone.

"Look, I can do something about it. But you have to trust me," was it fear flickering behind those pretty blue irises, he wondered.

"You know that I don't..." he huffed and released the blond. Zero ran his fingers into his hair and turned away.

"Please," Aidou said and grabbed his right arm, stopping him from taking a step further. "I promise I won't hurt you."

"You're creeping me out again. Let go!" he warned.

"Believe me Kiriyu Zero, I wouldn't be doing this if I'm not at the end of my tether. Something is unsettling you back there and I can assure you that I can lessen the burden."

"Why?"

"We might die after this, Z-... Kiriyu. I want that memory crystal, you want Tomohisa. The Es would be in the way together with Kurohashi. We'll be screwed if Kaname-sama does get compromised. Unless you're thinking straight, we won't make it. Not like this..."

"Tch...that figures. I knew you're doing this for yourself and that bastard," he accused.

"I said WE, you dumb idiot! _You_ and _me_! Have you even been listening...? Shut up and let me do what I have to do. Trust me..." Aidou was blushing mad.

_Oh my cursed fucking god... These hormones, shit! _

Zero felt his own cheeks burn, "Fine, Work your voodoo and whatever! This better work or I'll kill you for sure."

Aidou glared daggers at him, puffed his cheeks and punched him not to lightly on his arm, "Now, gather whatever skeletons that you have in that blockhead of yours and let me reach into them."

"Sure... How the hell are you going to _reach in_?" Zero sneered.

To his surprise, Aidou caught his left wrist with his right hand and brought the appendage up close to his lips. The realization dawned upon him; Aidou was going to pierce it out of him with those already glinting fangs.

"Gather them up for me..." Aidou's glowing red eyes made his blood freeze in his veins.

Zero closed his eyes as Aidou's hot canines sunk into his flesh.

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Kaname leaned his weight against the cool trunk of the pine tree, about twenty-five feet off the ground; still eyeing that old bunker. There was something really off with the Level-Es auras emanating from those crumbling stone walls. Stranger, there is not a single E that had come out of that structure. He was expecting some sort of chaos or rampage the minute Tomohisa, a human, food, stepped into the place.

His garments flapped in the wind and he was growing impatient by the minute. Kaname was about to make his descent and storm Tomohisa's hideout when he felt a familiar thrum in his blood. He recognized it immediately.

_Kiriyu Zero._

The Level-D was close, he could feel him. However, he could not help to sense the dark forbidding sensation that came rolling in with it. Tuning in to his instincts, he deduced that the vampire hunter was approaching from the southwest; somewhere from the direction of the hulking mountain range.

He was about to jump down when a faint metallic scent wafted in the air. He recognized it immediately making something akin to possessive fury flared within. He blamed his intuition for throwing him off balance, left his perch and pursued.

00000000000

He was feeling warm all over. Zero was aware of Aidou's fangs latching in his wrist, draining him slow controlled draughts. He had followed Aidou's brief instruction, to focus his haunting memories and let him tap into it. Aidou's had his eyes closed and his eyebrows knitted as he was fighting with himself, tears were welling up at the corners of his eyes and a stray drop had trickled down his flushed cheeks.

Zero was unsure whether the lightness he was feeling has something to do with whatever Aidou was doing or apparent blood loss. There was a very blond and a very blue eyed leech sucking on him. However, the pained whimper Aidou let out just before he freed his fangs and the surging relief that coursed through his being eliminated the latter suspicion.

He watched Aidou sag, slumping over onto the leaf covered ground, supporting his weight on his trembling arms. Zero licked the punctures close and crouched down beside Aidou. The wavy blond hair fell over Aidou's face, shielding it from his view.

"What did you just do princess...?" Zero would not tell him that he felt like a ton rock had been lifted off his soul.

"Give me a minute..." Aidou wiped his bloodstained mouth with his sleeve and pushed his palm against his bowed head.

Zero smelt the salty scent of Aidou's tears, "You're crying again..." He stated the obvious.

"Yeah... just give me a minute."

"30 seconds princess..." he hoped his jeer would make Aidou snap out of his situation. Aidou's behaviour was affecting him strangely. He wanted to reach out and console the blond but he would not. He will not. However, instead of returning the scathing remark, Aidou brought his face up, lips quivering and tears streamed down like rivers.

_Oh, crap..._

"I... I was not prepared for _that_..." Aidou's breath hitched slightly. He wiped his eyes again and bit his lips. Zero did not know exactly how to react, he wanted to wring the answers out of Aidou but tears are his weakness. He had never survived Yuuki's crocodile tears' _assaults_ anyways so, he casted his need to smack Aidou aside and tried the gentler approach.

"What did you just do?" he asked again. "What do you mean by that... _that_?"

"How can you survive after going through all of _that_?" Aidou emphasized the last work through clenched teeth. "This pain..." He gripped the front of his shirt.

_Oh my... shit motherfucking god..._

Zero cursed silently after realizing the meaning of Aidou's words. Aidou had somehow seen the _memories_.

"You asked for it. Do _not_ pity me..." he cautioned Aidou. Zero felt Aidou's anguish washing over him like giant waves.

Aidou nodded wordlessly. However to Zero's mortification, the tears flowed anew so he did the only thing he had always done to console an upset Yuuki or Ichiru. Zero bent over and pulled Aidou's head close to his heart, spayed his touch in the fine golden hair and traced circles on the scalp with the tips of his fingers. The remnants of those unholy tears soaked into his clothing as Aidou calmed down.

"This is weird, princess..."

Zero felt Aidou's lips curved into a smile against his erratically beating chest, "Whatever...But nice weird... Shut up and just hold me for a minute. You owe me."

Aidou grabbed the waistband of his pants and pulled him down until he rested his right knee on the ground. Aidou's arms snaked around his torso and stayed there. He was soaked in the blonds' radiating warmth.

Zero gulped nervously because to his utter denial, he liked it. "Okay... all right. 30 seconds of weirdness is enough. Let's go, time to get ourselves killed now..."

He tried to sound as haughty as he possibly could. He had to let go before the strange balmy warmth that had been welling up in his soul burst out and he ended doing things that he would be sorely regret afterwards. The strange pull he felt towards Aidou was going to short circuit his brain again.

Zero exhaled in relief when Aidou removed his arms from his sides and detangled his fingers from the luxuriously spun sunshine mop. But he was not prepared for Aidou's sudden move.

Seconds later, Zero found himself knocked down onto his back, partially buried in the dried, brown leaves on the forest floor, with Aidou hovering dangerously above him. The blond had pushed him and had his wrist firmly pinned at both sides of his head, those spindly legs were straddling his left thigh and those hands felt abnormally cold as ice.

_Shit...!_

Zero realized that Aidou's vampiric power was back. He tried to push Aidou off but those magnetic blue eyes paralyzed him. Their current position brought the faint memories of Tomohisa back. Slivers of anger took over and he felt his eyes burn red. He cursed himself for trusting Aidou, for letting the deceitful Level-B vampire tap into his worst nightmares and provided the opportunity for them to be used against him.

He cursed himself for believing that Aidou was different from the rest of the manipulating bloodsuckers; different from _Kuran Kaname_. Now he was somehow connected to the blond by blood and he simply has to kill him.

"You have to trust me, Zero..."

Zero opened his mouth to scream out his threats but Aidou had swooped down and crushed his lips with his own; hard, bruising and punishing.

The move was translated as a violation and that had made him angrier. Zero raised his head off the ground in an attempt to bash it against Aidou but the blond was quicker to avoid the impact. His hands were frozen solid to the ground making him clench his eyes shut and growl furiously.

Suddenly, he felt some wet droplets pelting on his face and almost immediately, Aidou was gone.

Zero scrambled onto his feet, scanned the parameters. There was no sign of the blond but he could feel another presence approaching at an alarming speed. Before he could secure a cover, he had come face to face with the very last creature that he had expected to see.

Kuran Kaname.

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**A/N- **What the heck just happened? I'll tell you what's happening now. Lily is back from her trip; cranky, jet-lagged and has eye bags as big as teabags... and she has her hand (claws/talons) on my shoulders. Yeah like right now, NOW (15/3/2011- 1205hrs +8GMT). She demands that I release this part for us all to chew on for the next few hours. "You're taking too long, a promise is a promise. 3 days is up." she said.

I'm editing the rest and may merge the later part into this chapter. Give me a few hours. I can't use both hands at the moment. Geeez... This is the END for speaking out loud. I can't mess it up. Any last minute request? You might still get can them down. Hee.. hee.. ^^

Thank you for the kind reviews. I'll get to them afterwards kay... or else this raving mad friend of mine will kill me. I love you people!


	16. Chapter 16: The End

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the VK characters

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 16

Kaname was definitely not expecting Kiriyu Zero to run to him and embrace him with open arms. A bark of disrespect or a volley of curses would be acceptable enough but the drainage of colour from those already notably pale cheeks, that uneasy glare the vampire hunter gave him and the escalating thumps of his pulse registered as highly suspicious behaviours.

"Where is Aidou?" Kaname asked because Zero was literally enveloped by his aide's scent. Aidou was there recently and now he could not sense the Level-B's presence anywhere.

Zero's pulse hiked a notch but it returned to normal almost immediately. Kaname eyed the strange ugly bloodied and torn green clothing Zero had on. It smelt old. Zero was shoeless and there was an equally strange filthy black bag lying uselessly amongst the scattered leaves. Nevertheless, the ex-human appeared to be in a good shape.

"Gone," said Zero. Kaname got his curt answer. Those purplish irises were drowned with unmasked hatred. Undiluted hatred for him.

"Where?" Kaname hoped his puffed-up tone will mask his relief.

"..." Zero did not say anything back to him.

Kaname felt his rage simmering under his skin and to his consternation Zero had turned his back to him, picked up the filthy bag like he was not even there. He saw the crumbling stencilled lettering on the green shirt- '_MIDORI.'_

_6-4-3-6-7-4. _Kaname recalled Tomohisa's electronic security code and made the connection. It was the numerical designation of the letters. Kaname chided himself for not been able to see the simple correlation. Tomohisa might not be so smart after all.

Zero had not even asked for the reason he was there and chose to ignore him. In cases like these, Zero's insolence had never failed to amaze him. He was about to lash out at the vampire hunter when something, or rather some _things_ stirred from beneath the leaves.

Zero whirled around to face him again and warned, "You're on your own Kuran."

Like a scene out of tacky B-grade movie, four Es punched their way out of the ground at separated points and several more followed suit, crawling their way out like a bunch of yellow-eyed spiders unaffected by the radiating sunlight. Kaname remembered the bunker and guessed obvious, that there must be tunnels leading to the current location. The vile creatures were surfacing from the hidden trapdoors. Tomohisa must have _sent_ them.

Kaname sensed strangeness from those creatures as the ones emerging from the further outlets scurried to round up on Zero. He on the other hand was going to face the hissing monsters from the other two exit points. They were Es but their movement appeared to be systematized; like a troop of fanged guerrillas.

The vampire hunter did not appear to be perturbed by the Es at all so Kaname assumed that he had encountered them before. Those bloodied and tattered clothes bore testimony. Kaname saw Zero broke into his offensive stance and wasted no time to begin his attack. He would call it slaughter because the degree of brutality that the silver haired vampire hunter was something he had not expected. Moreover, Zero did not seem to be bothered with the odd odour coming off the Es blood spattered onto him.

Kaname prepared himself to engage with his own bunch of trouble. Precisely thirteen creatures had formed a tight circle around him. He tried to _command_ the beasts to stand down but to his ultimate shock, it did not appear to be working. Worse, at least five of them brandished weapons- guns, and fired.

Kaname managed to dodge by leaping out of the circumference. The bullets had consequenly homed into the other Es. Three dissipated into dust while another one screeched in bloody murder, rolling on the ground. The fifth slug must have strayed elsewhere. His brain tried to process the situation. Typical Level-Es are not mentally capable of wielding weapons, let alone handle complicated armaments such as guns.

"Move, those are ex-hunters!" Zero's warning was a millisecond too late as he felt a white searing pain exploding on his back and he let out an angry hiss. One of those ex-humans had shot him.

Enraged, he turned to the creatures, focused his energy and released it like a wall of radiating plasma. He saw Zero's panicked visage before the vampire hunter swiftly kicked an E off him, bounded out of the way and scaled up a gray birch tree like a cat.

All of the Es had been reduced into piled of scattered dust. However, Kaname realized that the exertion had taken a considerable toll on him as his knees nearly gave away and blood spurted out of his wounded back; he would not show weakness so he steadied himself. He searched for Zero and saw the blood drenched vampire hunter staring down coldly at him, eyes glowing red stimulated by the scent of his pure blood from the high canopy above.

Kaname was about to order Zero to come down when he saw another vampire leaping towards the unaware Zero, swinging a sword aimed for the head. Kaname used the remnants of his energy and used it to somehow knock Zero off the branch. The blade missed the vampire hunters by centimetres and Zero was sent plunging down towards the ground. Much to Kaname's silent relief, Zero had landed on all fours and growled in morbid infuriation.

His brief concern for Zero had created an opening for the assailant to drop towards him, sword pointed downwards aimed to skewer him right into the ground. Kaname staggered out of the way just in the nick of time and delivered a round horse kick to the vampire's side. The impact sent the brown haired vampire crashing onto the damp earth. Zero had moved in to disarm the mysterious vampire.

"I told you- that he would come for you." Kaname heard the unknown vampire gurgle out in his own blood to Zero. The kick had done a significant amount of damage, severely injuring the internal organs but Kaname doubted it was enough to kill him.

"Fine, I'm sold. So where's Tomohisa?" Kaname heard Zero's steely question. However the other vampire chuckled mockingly. Those green eyes were slowly taking on a red tint; he too was affected by the scent of his pure blood.

Without warning, Zero drove the blade he was holding in his hands mercilessly into the vampire's right shoulder, sticking him to the ground. Kaname registered the howling vampire as a Level-B. He moved closer to the two. Zero's behaviour was far too uncharacteristically violent to be considered normal; something else must be behind his unnatural motivation.

"Not going to ask for you lovely Hana-chan?" the Level-B must have had a death wish to try and rile the vampire hunter. Strangely enough, a spark of jealousy flared in Kaname when Zero growled and twisted the blade mercilessly, elevating the Level-B's pained howling into another whole new dimension.

"No, focus on Tomohisa. Hmm... Let me guess, the main bunker?" questioned Zero as he placed his left foot not too lightly onto the vampire's windpipe, increasing the pressure and yanked the blade out, more blood splattered onto his clothing.

The fact that Zero knew of Tomohisa's involvement surprised Kaname. The way Zero was addressing the strange Level-B gave the impression that the two had met. Plus, Zero had also casually mentioned about the bunker. So Kaname assumed the most logical explanation- Zero had been there before.

"I take your silence as a yes. Now, here's the consolation for missing my head," Zero was about to pierce the Level-Bs heart but Kaname caught that sword hand and wrenched it aside making Zero snarl in his face."What now, Kuran?"

"I have better plans for him. He is Tomohisa's man, isn't he?"

Kaname's knowledge of Tomohisa made Zero's eyes widen in disbelief but it took on the usual look of indifference. "Tch, why I am not surprised? His name is Kurohashi Tatsuya. Rang any evil death bells, Kuran?"

Kaname paused for a moment to take in the Level-B's profile. The brown hair and the green eyes were not that exceptional but the name Kurohashi registered something that he rather not recall.

This was the brother to Aidou's teacher, the one he had assisted in killing. Aidou Hanabusa's first kill in his bloodied road of life as an aristocrat- Kurohashi Reizo. He could remember vividly that time he _coached _the too innocent Aidou to freeze and shatter the older vampire into a thousand of icy pieces, right in front of his stricken younger sibling. The vengeful Level-B lying on the ground must have been after his royal head.

"It does. In that case, just kill him." Kaname decided to play along with Zero.

"Gladly..." an eerie smile disfigured Zero's pale, finely chiselled face as he revert his attention to skewering the vampire called Kurohashi.

"Wait! Please, wait!" Kurohashi pleaded.

Zero arched an eyebrow, "I'm listening..."

"I'll show you the way," Kurohashi tried to bargain his life out.

But Zero rolled his eyes and scoffed, "I _know_ the way. Say good bye." Zero twirled the blade and aimed again. "...or name the pureblood behind the Level-Es," he added.

Kaname perked at the new development. '_A pureblood? Ah but of course, Level-Es can't be grown on trees."_

"I can't." Kurohashi confirmed the fact there was indeed a pureblood involved. Kaname was intrigued. The nagging pain from the hunter bullet was temporarily forgotten. '_Now, a name.' _

"Name it... Or I'll let _him _get to you," Zero had addressed him like he was a common _dog_. Kaname felt his temper going up.

Kurohashi snapped his petrified gaze onto him. Kaname narrowed his eyes in irritation. '_Should I bark?'_

"You're going to die either way. Tell now and I'll give you a chance to make a run for it," Zero sounded convincing enough.

Kurohashi got the message, the Level-B was about to open his mouth when suddenly a knife flew out of nowhere and sunk in squarely in between of those green eyes.

Zero brought the sword up in a striking stance, grabbed Kaname's arm and dragged him away as Kurohashi dissipated into dust. They scouted for the assailant but found none. Apart from the rustling wind, the forest was in a standstill.

Zero realized that he still had the pureblood's arm in his hold and released it like it was scalding his skin. He leaped away with his face flushed red. Strangely, Kaname missed the death grip. He figured Zero's decision to haul him out of harm's way was merely his protective hunter side acting up.

"Just like a crappy scene out of a stinking movie." Zero mumbled while walking away from Kaname.

_That was very cute of you... _Kaname chuckled inwardly, enjoying Zero's embarrassment.

"I meant the knife thing," Zero stole a glance at Kaname.

_'Oh... Right.'_

Zero picked up the almost forgotten filthy black bag and slung it onto his shoulder. It smelt like Aidou. Again, strangely enough, Zero had managed to pour acid on his throbbing, bleeding pride.

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"Get out, all of you," Kaito opened his door and exited the vehicle. Cross had stopped the clunker about 700 meters away from the Northern Outpost bunkers. The older hunter was positive Tomohisa had been using the place as his base as no other hunters favoured the location. Kaito hoped he was right or else they had wasted precious hours rattling like fools, in that ancient transport truck for nothing. The Midori plant was on the other side of the ridge. Cross had taken the shortest was around it. By the shortest means the dirt roads. Kaito resisted the urge to rub his poor abused rump.

The pureblood princess had produced the cursed _Zero-the-damn-wimpy-prick-detector_ wolf emblem again and placed it ceremoniously onto the ground. Her worried face made him sick. The vampire girl named Souen caught him sneering and glared at him. He almost wished the relic would not work.

Too bad it did. Once again the pentagram appeared and the pointer had grown longer than ever before. It was directed towards the bunkers. Cross let out an overdramatic gasp, killed off the engine and grabbed his weapon.

"We'll be going on foot," Cross informed the vampires.

The tall ginger haired one called Kain nodded and beckoned for the Souen bitch to stay close by Kuran Yuuki.

Kaito rolled his eyes, watched the fanged gang of leeches trail after Cross and fall back to the rear of the _rescue squad_.

_'You would so pay for this trouble later, Zero...' _Kaito clenched his teeth and growled.

0000000000

The narrow, low ceilinged tunnel forced them to walk bending over almost 90 degrees from the waist. They had been traversing them for a few minutes now because he had insisted for them to take the _backdoor. _Zero figured they could use some element of surprise against Tomohisa. Kuran had protested initially, most probably because he was too snooty to bend over like he was supposed to. '_Now why does that sound so wrong?'_

In the end,Kuran relented and there they were, reduced to snivelling gophers sniffing away in the dank tunnels. In cases like these, Zero wished he had not grown so tall. Kuran must have an uncomfortable time too because he could feel the demon's agitation, '_Well, it was his choice to tag along, wasn't it?'_

However, Zero had other suspicions of why Kuran was so apprehensive of trailing after his butt in the pitch black darkness. The pureblood was shot with a hunter bullet in that scuffle aboveground. The sluggishly healing wound on his back must have been killing him. Most probably the anti-vampire bullet was still lodged in there. Zero smirked at the notion. He could smell Kuran's delectable blood trickling down the uneven mud packed floor. The scent alone is enough to attract any bloodsuckers like flies to honey.

Need proof? Enter exhibit number one- Kiriyu Zero, an ex-human, Level-D vampire hunter. Current status- unable to turn off his glowing red eyes _feature_ because there was a damned annoyingly tempting pure blood source trailing after his arse.

Nonetheless, the absence of any kind of rabid bloodthirsty drugged spiked Level-E charging down on them made him wonder about Aidou, '_Where the hell is he?'_

No, he was not worried. He was merely curious. Zero assured himself over and over again. Moreover, he could still feel Aidou's pulsing existence. He had been reflecting on Aidou's strange behaviour right before he disappeared. He had been convinced that the stupid airhead had tricked him into revealing his dark secrets. However, the tears that pelted on his face in the end do not add up to the presumed agenda. In short, he may be wrong about Aidou. Now he was worried his guts were positive that Aidou was somewhere further up in the bunker. Tomohisa was supposed to be in the bunker too. The thought made his stomach sink in dread.

The tunnel suddenly melded into a small chamber- high enough to permit them to stand up in their full height but not wide enough to do jumping jacks without smacking each other in the face. At the other end, the tunnel forked into two. Kuran had seized the opportunity to nudge pass him and straighten up. His dark overcoat was thoroughly soaked with that sinful blood of his.

"You're bleeding too much," he stated to the pureblood.

"Concerned?"

"Of course, you've destroyed any possibilities of covertness," Zero coated his words with venom, careful to keep his voice low and prevent it from resonating off the walls. He would not admit to Kuran that he was _concerned_.

"Tomohisa would not be able to smell blood," Kuran Kaname, the cold blooded Level-A vampire replied almost innocently. Those eyes shone in his mirth and Zero was growing uncomfortable given the close proximity of their bodies. He was uncomfortable because the scent of Kuran's blood was teasing the beast inside him.

"Yeah, whatever. Can you go on? Otherwise you should stay here," he prayed Kuran would choose to stay back for he had to summon a chunk of his strength to hold the thirst back. It was wearing him down and he could not afford to be distracted.

"You are worried about me?" there was mirth in those words again.

Zero wanted to reach into the wound and jam that damned bullet deeper into the arrogant demon. "It's the polite way to say that you're slowing me down," he gritted his teeth and glared at Kaname.

"I wonder where you got that level of confidence. Perhaps you are going to ask- _why_?"

"_Why_ what?" Zero understood Kuran's innuendo. He was secretly wondering why was the pure blooded demon was dragging his royal butt out there too.

"Suit yourself..." Kuran replied nonchalantly.

Zero shrugged it off. Focused his instincts to home on Aidou, they had a complete _connection _don't they? He was right. Aidou was somewhere down at the end of the right tunnel. Zero bent his body again and was about to enter the tunnel when Kaname pulled him back by the haversack saddled on his back.

"Staying?" Zero jeered at Kaname, and he was sure his glowing red eyes had added the _insolent_ effect.

"Why not the one on the left?" Kuran asked coolly but his eyes were telling a whole different story.

The pureblood was royally pissed and Zero fought his Level-D impulse to cower and run. '_How did he? No, he doesn't know. He's just being an ass.'_

"Check it out then. Take your time," Zero replied gruffly and disappeared into the right tunnel. Much to his dismay, Kuran Kaname had followed suit.

0000000000

"It's far too quiet. Are you sure we're at the right place?" the Souen bitch was trying to sound smart.

"I can feel something from that bunker," the tall one called Kain said while scratching his ginger tufted head.

"Most probably they're in there... Yuuki?" Cross asked his pureblood adopted daughter's opinion.

_You're a high ranking hunter for God's sake. Grow a backbone!_

The vampire princess nodded meekly and clutched the godforsaken bronze relic even tighter.

Kaito snorted, ignored the other four indecisive creatures and made his way towards the bunker despite of Kuran Yuuki's quiet pleas and protest. Cross fell into the _creature _category because he had forgotten to die like a typical human being and lived for more than two centuries.

Kaito studied the riveted door and gave it a tentative push. It was broken. The others had fallen behind him, eying the door cautiously. They too had felt the charm rigged onto it. A vampire could pass through the door all right. But not without sustaining some sort of injury from being zapped. Whoever had busted the solid metal door must either be a superhuman or a very callous, suicidal vampire.

Kain piped up saying that he could smell Aidou's blood on the crimson stain on the latch.

_'So, a callous, suicidal vampire it is,' _concluded Kaito.

Kuran Yuuki said she could not smell Zero anywhere, just Aidou.

_'Okay. Now I'm a bit worried.' _thought Kaito as he disarmed the charm and let Kain enter first. Then Cross, Kuran Yuuki, Souen followed suit. Kaito took the rear again.

0000000000

Zero could feel Aidou up ahead. Faint yellowish light spilled at the end of the tunnel. The temperature had drop considerably and he believed that Aidou had something to do with it. Faint voices echoed off the tunnel walls. Kuran tugged on the haversack, signalling him to be cautious.

_'Like I need you to tell me that.' _Zero did not like having the pureblood so close to him. It was strange enough to be stuck with Aidou for the last couple of hours. A pureblood was even worse. Plus, he was determined not to give away the fact of his and Aidou's blood exchange to Kuran. Something in him told him that things will get a couple of degrees shoddier if the demon learns about it.

"Zero is dead. I thought I've told you that ten minutes ago!" That shrill voice definitely belonged to Aidou.

"And I don't believe you." Tomohisa sneer was followed by the snapping sound of a whip lashing onto skin.

He assumed that Tomohisa had somehow managed to capture the blond idiot and was in the process of killing off his boredom. By the sound of it, Aidou had screwed up big time. Zero recognized the scent of Aidou's blood immediately and to his horror, the faint traces of his too. Suddenly, he was afraid of Kuran's reaction.

He took the haversack off and rummaged through it. He found the blood tablets, popped a few in his mouth and shoved the whole bottle to the unexpectedly calm Kuran.

"You shall stay here whether you like it or not," he hissed and shoved the bag to the pureblood vampire.

Kuran did not say anything but those garnet eyes regarded him in undisguised suspicion. The pureblood's apprehension was understandable enough for he himself had never learned to wholly trust the vampires either.

"This is my fight," Zero wished for Kuran to stay out of his battle.

"I would never soil myself in trifle things."

Zero was positive that the meddling demon was lying through his teeth but he took it as an affirmative anyways.

0000000000

They had been descending deeper and deeper into the heart of the bunker. The mud walls were unnaturally cold, covered by a thin sheet of frost. There were brownish chunks of melting ice crunching beneath his shoes and he knew enough to conclude that they were stepping on vampire remains. The other three vampires in his flock were silently increasing their speed.

Suddenly, Kain stopped and he could hear Cross's frantic voice instructing him to come forward. Kaito pushed pass the two females and came nose-to-nose with a buzzing blue force field at the end of the tunnel. He saw Tomohisa whip an immobile Aidou who was trapped in an anti-vampire circle like a helpless fly caught in a spider web. There were no sign of Zero.

"Can you deactivate this Kaito-kun?" Cross did little to disguise his panic.

"I need time." he replied as he studied the wall. Tomohisa had rigged it with a complicated barrier. Getting it down would be quite tricky but plausible.

"We don't have time!" screeched Souen while attempting to barge through the barrier. The wall of energy singed her palms.

"Ruka, please..." Kain held her back.

"Shut up and let me concentrate!" Kaito grew livid. "I'm aware of the urgency of the situation but senseless panic will not speed anything up!"

"He's right." said Cross, placing his hand on the sobbing Kuran Yuuki's shoulder and pulled her into his embrace.

0000000000

"I'm here Tomohisa." Zero's voice echoed off the walls. He stepped out of the tunnel and showed himself to his former master- his former tormentor.

The silver haired hunter's hand stopped in midair and the long braided leather bullwhip was snagged back. Aidou recognized his voice and those blue eyes widened in alarm. Tomohisa had the blond pinned solid against the wall. There were long bloodied cuts criss-crossing on Aidou's abdomen, his clothes torn- courtesy of the whip.

"Zero... You're alive! I knew the little twit was lying all along," Tomohisa's maniacal smile sent shivers down his spine.

"Where's the welcoming party? I thought you were setting this all up exclusively for me." Zero dismissed Tomohisa and scanned the nostalgic twenty by twenty feet underground chamber with mock interest. Nothing much had changed. He noticed the thin layer of frost covering the surfaces and the wet mud mixed with chink of melting ice on the floor. Aidou had done pretty well eliminating the Es all by himself. '_Too bad he had underestimated Tomohisa,' _thought Zero.

Aidou remained silent. Zero suspected the blond had caught the whiff of Kuran's filthy blood because he was visibly fighting his traitorous nature. His blue eyes were slowly changing to red. Tomohisa must have taken his own reddish amethyst eyes as a sign of his bloodlust. He was a Level-D after all.

"You're injured," Tomohisa had mistaken the dried Level-E blood on his garments as his. The snake would be so proud if he learnt that most of it was not his.

"Let him go, Tomohisa. This is between you and me," Zero took a few steps forward.

"Step any closer and I'll liquefy his brain and make him bleed through his ears," warned the amber-eyed snake. Tomohisa had been talking about Aidou. The anti-vampire circle that Aidou was caught in was potentially as threatening as that.

Zero noticed a bunch of people standing behind a bluish barrier at the other end of the large chamber. He recognized Cross and Kaito immediately and to his surprise, he saw Yuuki. Kaito was trying to bring the barrier down while another two vampires stood watch; Kain and Souen. He was unsure whether to feel relieved or worried.

"You need me to get out of here, Tomohisa. They would never let you pass through,"

"Smile for me..." Tomohisa's oddball request threw him off guard.

"What?"

"Smile Zero, and I'll let him go." Tomohisa's madness never ceased to faze him.

Zero gave him a crooked grin instead, "I'll put up a better offer, Tomohisa."

"That's a nice development but it does not count as a smile. What's your bargain?"

"Hand _everything_ you took from him back and I'll come with you," Zero gestured towards Aidou.

The blond had pulled the reckless stunt because of the stupid memory crystal so he might as well help him secure his objectives. He was being extra careful so that Kuran would not figure out about Aidou's secret. The pure blooded demon was hovering in the tunnel; he could still smell his blood in the air.

_'Curse my emphatetic heart,' _Zero chided himself.

"I can't deny that I find the offer quite tempting. Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? I love him." Zero said it without even batting an eye.

Zero knew he had sounded convincing enough because immediately Aidou's eyes widened in mortification. Both he and Aidou could feel Kuran's wrath spilling into the small confined space.

"You are not capable of such things as _love_, Zero... I've made sure of that."

"Oh? I have to thank you for nabbing us and throwing us in that freezer together, Tomohisa. I haven't realized it up till now. As funny as it may sound, it's true." Zero suppressed his urge to puke at his own words. He was determined to rattle Tomohisa as much as he can.

"You're lying..." Tomohisa's voice had taken a dangerous turn. He had narrowed his eyes and cracked that whip on the mud caked floor.

"I could show you what a delicious little morsel he is but doing _it_ in front of a crowd would be plain awkward," Zero sprinkled the poison and grinned meaningfully at Tomohisa.

"You filthy little-"

"Am I? _You_ made me into what I am, my dear beloved _master_..."

Zero had expected Tomohisa to snarl and lunge at him in rage but he had not expected Kuran Kaname to come out of his hidey hole and intercepted the hunter. The dark haired pureblood vampire had caught Tomohisa by the neck and threw him against the erected barrier.

Tomohisa crumpled down like a broken stringed puppet and the memory crystal skittered across the room. The amber eyed snake stood no chance against the enraged vampire. Zero was positive the onlookers behind the barrier were as equally shocked as he was.

Zero moved towards Aidou and deactivated the anti-vampire circle. He caught Aidou just in time before the blond crash down the floor.

"You're foolish to think you could finish this alone," he chided Aidou in a low whisper.

"Get the crystal!" Aidou hissed while tugging on the front of his shirt.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Kuran bend down and picked up the crystal sphere. He studied it and Tomohisa burst out laughing. The fallen hunter must have had rigged the crystal with some sort of spell because Kuran's eyes turned completely blank. The sphere fell out of his hand. Zero could hear Yuuki's panicked scream from behind the barrier. She was banging her fists against the barrier but Cross had pulled her back.

"Now I will complete your education, Zero... To never rise against your master and expect you could get away with it," Tomohisa laughed hysterically and staggered up to his feet.

He swayed for a few step towards the passive pureblood vampire but he managed to steady himself. Yuuki's anguished screams grew even louder, begging Kuran to snap out of it.

"You're playing dirty, Tomohisa," Zero accused as he hoisted the weakened Aidou up by the waist. The Level-B had overexerted himself in using his powers to fight against the Es and could barely stand up straight.

"You brought him to me, Zero. I'm grateful so, I might as well test my new _plaything_ on you!" Tomohisa bellowed and broke into another volley of laughter.

"Leave me, Zero. This can't be good." Aidou rasped hoarsely. The blood from the cut and welt covered midsection was soaking into his garments.

He did as he was told and Aidou sagged back onto the floor. Zero saw Kuran pick up the discarded bullwhip off the floor and disappeared like a giant black blur. He was going to engage with Kuran Kaname, the pureblood vampire prince in a hand-to-hand fight. He will not be surprised if he would meet his end right there and then. However, giving up without a fight was never his style.

Sure enough, Kuran appeared beside him those garnet eyes blank and lifeless as he swiped at him over and over again using that startling speed of his. It was a gamble to go up against Kuran's agility and strength. Zero stepped forward with his left foot, rotated his left hand counter clockwise and circled his right hand under his left, locking Kuran's hands together. Then he swiftly pulled Kuran's arms down to the right. He closed his left fist and smashed it against the perfect face as hard as he could. The momentum caused the pureblood vampire to fall backwards so he used the opportunity to drive his right fist into the unguarded solar plexus.

It bought him some time to make a sprint towards Tomohisa. However, his neck was snagged back by the bullwhip and he was pulled back crashing down onto the floor. Zero managed to unwind the leather braid off his raw bloodied neck, rolled up onto his knees and tugged on the four metre long whip. The pureblood vampire staggered a few steps forward and before he could fully regain his balance, Zero extended his right leg, swiped it and hooked the back of Kuran's left heel. It worked because Kuran crashed headfirst onto the floor.

Again, he searched for Tomohisa and found the vile silver haired hunter being kicked down onto the floor by Aidou. The blond moved to straddle and choked Tomohisa with his left hand while gripping the top of the hunter's head with his right hand. He was doing something to Tomohisa because those amber orbs were stricken with panic and he had resorted to calling Kuran back towards him.

Zero saw Kuran sprang up and moved swiftly towards Aidou, talons extended. He was not really thinking when he sprinted towards Aidou and he was definitely not thinking straight when he placed himself in between Kuran and the blond. Yuuki's horrified scream was not loud enough to muffle the sound of his bones crunching as Kuran's sharp talons pierced through his left side- breaking his ribs, puncturing his lungs and stopped there.

Aidou had managed to belatedly stop Tomohisa and life crept back into Kuran's blank eyes.

Blood poured from both the wound and his mouth. Zero watched those magnificent garnet eyes widened in horror. Aidou was screaming for Kuran to withdraw the talons out of his body, cradling his head while begging him to stay awake. Zero heard a loud boom in the distance and thumps of hurried pairs of foot running towards him. He heard Yuuki's voice again.

Kuran did pull out his hand in a sickening sluice. He should feel the pain but he did not. Numbness enveloped his senses and ironically, his thoughts drifted back to the night Ichiru had surrendered his life to him. He remembered the horrendously fatal wound his beloved brother had sustained on his left side, inflicted by Kuran Rido. Now, Zero knew the kind of pain that his twin had felt then. Only this time, it was Kuran Kaname that had delivered the final blow. Perhaps the Kiriyus was meant to perish in the hands of the Kurans after all.

He remembered Ichiru's last smile right before Aidou's tear filled blue eyes were replaced by a pair of garnets.

He could not muster his strength to hate those eyes like he used to.

Because in the end, it was not so painful anymore.

**THE END**

* * *

**Raving mad long A/N coz I'm sleep deprived- (16/3/2011- 0240 hrs +8 UTC) **_Did I just kill our precious Zero? Should I run for the hills? No, I've come out with the sequel remember? The Black Iris? He's very much alive and kicking I assure you. I guess an epilogue is necessary, yeah? Be kind enough to tell me what you wish to happen. _

To the reviewers of Chapter 14; firda, ben4kevin,kim, jezared, bloodyLiLies, AyanamiRei and PeaPodPrincess. Thank you. I'm sorry that I've 'tortured' Zero in this one. Yeah, Tomohisa is a really, really evil OC and does deserved to be erm.. Castrated and killed.

To the reviewers of Chapter 15; AyanamiRei, bloodyLilies, Yulia, ben4kevin, and bloody child. There was only a few hours window between Chapter 15 and 16 and you managed to read Ch15 and reviewed. Let me tell you the statistics, out of 34 people who had read Ch 15 in that brief time window, you're the only 5 who had bothered to let me know of your thoughts. I could so hug you. Except for Miss bloodyLiLies (Lily).. You glomped me too often. And for the record, I rather die than kiss you. I don't care if you cite your BFF privileges. The thought alone is so puke-ablely gross. People, if you feel that Ch 16 is rather rushed. Blame her. I'm rather disappointed because I didn't get to write how Aidou got caught by Tomohisa. It was all in fast forward. It was all her fault. *I'm blaming Lily* She threatened to tie me down to the chair with duct tape and poured coffee down my throat. Now I'm f***ing tired and can't sleep coz I have too much caffeine in my system. Should I rewrite this chapter a bit? So many errors, I know... *sigh* Point them out for me please. Pull me out of my 'English is my 2nd..? No... I think maybe it's the 3rd language rut'.


	17. Chapter 17 : Epilogue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the VK characters

**Beta: **Her Little Doll

**The Midori Incident**

Chapter 17: Epilogue 

"Good. You're awake,"

Aidou wanted to brush back the soft silvery bangs away from Zero's forehead but since he did not have a death wish, he abstained from doing so. The vampire hunter was stirring up from his deep slumber.

"Fuck," Zero croaked, scrunching his forehead in pain.

"Golly, you've been lying down stupid like the dead and the first thing that came out of your mouth is the 'F' word?" Aidou could not suppress his chuckle.

"What 'F' word? I said fuck," Zero groaned and brought up his right hand over his still closed eyes, shielding them from the pendaflour light."I'm not dead?"

"No, and I missed your temper too by the way."

"Tch... Yeah, whatever," Zero scoffed.

Aidou watched Zero blink his amethyst eyes open. He marveled at how those clear orbs could look so beautiful despite all the hatred and suffering that lurked within the hunter's battered soul. Zero scanned the room warily; his ever cautious hunter instincts were gradually kicking in.

"You're at my house," Aidou gulped and waited for Zero's reaction.

"What?" Zero's alarm was not unexpected. He struggled to sit up on the bed and immediately let out a hiss. The bandaged wound on his left side had not healed properly. Nevertheless, the stubborn silver haired ex-human lifted the covers and swung both of his leg out to the other side of the bed to make his escape.

"Oh, no you don't!" Aidou got up, shot his hand across the single bed and pulled Zero back on it by the scruff of his white cotton pajamas. Zero was sent sprawling back onto the mattress with a painful grunt.

"Oh yes I will. Are you kidnapping me now, princess?"

It had not been easy to convince the hunters at the Association, especially Yagari Touga to leave Zero under his care. The hunters had limited resources when it came to treating an injured vampire and using that fact, Aidou had managed to persuade Cross Kaien. Kuran Yuuki was relieved by the decision but Aidou could not say the same for Kuran Kaname. Although, Kaname had said nothing, Aidou could feel Kaname's apprehension.

"Do you think I'd simply let you go after you said that you love me?" Aidou utilized all of his charms and tried to sound convincing enough to trick the enraged vampire hunter. It worked because Zero had stopped struggling. Zero's glare was replaced by panicked disbelief while his cheeks flamed red. Aidou could not help but flash one of his trademark smiles.

"_That_ was a lie." Zero's blush had crept up all the way to the tips of his ears.

'_Too cute.__'_Aidou decided to tease Zero,"I don't believe you. You called me princess, you said you love me in front of everyone and you saved me. So there, you _love_ me." Aidou faked a playful pout.

"Gaahhh. Stop acting like a dim-witted girl and snap out of it before I have to kill you!"

'_Okay, not so cute anymore.__'_Aidou smiled cheekily and ruffled the top of Zero's head. Much to his surprise Zero accepted his touch without complaint. "Fine... Now can we talk?"

Zero did not hide his relief and exhaled raggedly, "Like I have any other choice. All right, shoot."

"First of all, let me tell you that I brought you here because _they_ are still ironing out this mess. I figured that you'd be safer with me," Aidou emphasized that particular word. _They_ meant, Kuran Kaname, his family and the hunters.

"Tch, safe? Safe with _you_? And I'm getting out of here right after this _conversation_." Zero's sarcasm was back.

Zero had moved to sit on the edge of the bed to face Aidou. The hunter's face was partially hidden beneath his longish locks of silver hair but Aidou could not help but notice the gauntness of those pale cheeks. Zero had lost a lot of blood and all he doubted that the artificial blood solution the physician had been giving him during his state of unconsciousness was sufficient to curb with the ex-human's thirst for long.

"Takamiya is right outside that door with Akatsuki," Aidou told him.

Zero ran his fingers through his messy silver hair and huffed indignantly, "Should I feel relieved? Forget it. I'm still getting out of here. Now talk so I can get this over with."

"You ungrateful, stubborn, impudent..." Aidou tried to sound angry but he ended up chuckling instead.

"Don't waste time, princess. What do you want from me?" Zero huffed rudely at the blond.

Aidou rolled his eyes and disdain etched his striking face. "I would like to request for your oath of nondisclosure for the things that we have learned from one another during that _incident_."

Something sparked behind Zero's eyes. Aidou shifted in his high backed chair as Zero openly studied him. Zero spoke, "You can be rest assured that your secret has no significant value to me but I can't say the same about you. I simply don't trust you,"

Startlingly, Zero's cold words had managed to hurt him. It sliced through his heart like a piece of jagged glass. Aidou bowed his head and summoned his will to face Zero once more but Zero had opened his mouth before Aidou could.

"My words are affecting you," Zero stated. It was not even a question.

Aidou made up his mind and confronted those piercing amethyst again, "They are. It's the damned blood exchange."

Zero stared blankly at him for a few seconds before breaking into the most enthralling smile that Aidou has ever witnessed from the walking, talking, and bad tempered cold chunk of marble. He felt his cheeks smother in pink watching that smile morph into something even stranger. Laughter had come out of that tattooed throat. '_Kiriyu Zero had finally lost his marbles.__'_

As he waited for Zero to regain his senses, Aidou stared to catalogue Zero physical traits, that exotic shade of silver, his odd amethyst coloured eyes, the piercings on his ears and that ugly black tattoo on the left side of his neck. Instantly he recalled his last encounter with his lord, Kuran Kaname.

It was right after Aidou had brought Zero back to his home. The vampire hunter had been treated for his injuries, mainly for the wound he had sustained on his left side. Aidou had managed to stop Tomohisa just in the nick of time. Zero would have turned to dust if Kaname had punctured the heart. Seiren had appeared and instructed Aidou to follow her. Aidou had left Zero under Kain's watch and went away with Seiren.

She had brought him to one of her family homes. Aidou had never been there and he was surprised to find Kaname waiting for them in the small Japanese rock garden.

_-Flashback-_

"_Kaname-sama," Aidou bowed at the pureblood. _

_Kaname did not acknowledge Aidou__'__s presence__;__ he was standing by a bed of hydrangeas grown under a __clump of rustling bamboo. Aidou held his breath when Kaname bent forward to pick one of the tiny flowers growing in one of the purplish clusters and straightened up. He beckoned for Aidou to approach._

"_Hydrangeas are rare in this season," Kaname startled him. Aidou was bracing himself for a stern lecture or even a physical punishment. Not a comment on flowers. Kaname ignored Aidou'__s bewilderment and continued, "They intrigue me, Hanabusa- having an inflorescence with the form but not necessarily the structure of a panicle. __They change __colors according to the soil alkalinity, sometimes smoked as an intoxicant, despite the danger of illness or even death due to the cyanide," Kaname motioned for Aidou to __raise__ his palm and deposited the flower with light purple petals into it. "Do you know of the hidden virtue of hydrangeas, Aidou Hanabusa?"_

_Kaname's sudden display of interest in botany bothered him. 'Why plants of all things?' he wondered. Aidou gulped nervously and answered, "No, I do not, Kaname-sama."_

_Kaname smiled, __"A hydrangea__ has two, very different, sides. It can be gift to express a thank you for understanding, for devotion- it can also signify frigidity and heartlessness."_

_Aidou immediately remembered Zero and paled. Kaname would not use something as a metaphor unless it __bore__ a significant meaning, his uncharacteristic display of concern towards Zero back at the bunker confirmed something that Aidou had been dreading all this while- that Kuran Kaname __did __have something towards Kiriyu Zero- and his decision to look after Zero had irked his pure blooded lord._

_Aidou closed his fist, accidentally crushing the fragile flower in his panic and dropped to his knees, "I beg for your forgiveness, Kuran-sama. I... "_

"_I would like to think of you as this bamboo." Kaname pointed at a long bamboo. He was using a plant as a figure of speech again. Aidou was convinced that he was in deep trouble. Kaname's odd behavior scared him._

"_You'__re loyal, steadfast, nurtured to serve us unquestioningly; the purest of our race- strong, flexible but unbreakable like a trustworthy Shinai. You have proven your worth to me by far," Kaname was staring at the clump of bamboo now. "However, even the sturdiest can be swayed and bent especially in the wind, especially if the wind __is __swirling like a coiling dragon in a thunderous storm. Who could resist a great tempest?" _

"_Kaname-sama, I..." Aidou was __at a loss __for words. Kaname __gestured __for him to stand, face unreadable. Aidou did, then he followed Kaname into the house. It was built like one of those old houses in ancient China. Enclosed courtyards were formed from the intersections of closely spaced buildings and offered small opening to the sky through the roof space from the floor up. L__arge trimmed logs, were used as load-bearing columns and lateral beams for framing the buildings and supporting the roofs. Aidou followed Kaname silently along the corridors knowing that Seiren was somewhere close, observing their every movement in her vigilant silence._

_Moments later, he found himself standing in front of a locked wooden door. Kaname had led him into an underground basement. The air was damp and musty. "Do you know what lies behind this door Hanabusa?" he asked._

_Aidou shook his head. Suddenly, he was fearful of the dark-haired pureblood. _

"_I chose you, Hanabusa. For what lies behind this door is something __for which __I require a great degree of sacrifice and loyalty. Can I trust you with it?" Kaname turned the knob and waited for Aidou'__s answer._

"_I would give everything in my power to serve you, Kaname-sama__." __Aidou did not like it at all but his loyalty to Kaname __outweighed__ it all._

_The door swung open and Aidou could not believe his eyes. There in the dark, 5ft by 7ft room stood a silver-haired vampire he thought he knew too __well.__ His hands were shackled, attached to a long chain trailing on the concrete floor. The other end was connected to a rusty eyelet embedded in the brick wall. Aidou stared at the gaunt face down to the grey, plain scrub-like clothes the Level-D vampire wore. His logic deduced that the vampire standing before him in the dank, unlighted space was Zero but he did not 'feel' like Zero at all. Besides, he had left Zero back at the mansion so there was no way the unconscious vampire hunter could materialize in there. "Zero?" Aidou was doubtful but he wanted an affirmation. _

"_Wrong twin," the doppelganger broke into a crooked smile, enjoying his disgraceful reaction. Aidou felt his insides churn. Kaname was standing in silence outside the threshold of the door, studying the situation. Aidou was sure of it, the Level-D standing by the white covered bed was definitely not Zero. '__But he looks exactly like Zero. Unless__…__'__ thought __Aidou._

"_Kiriyu Ichiru?" Aidou looked intently at the black tattoo, the silver earrings, the messy silver mop of hair- all too similar__;__ he remembered Tomohisa. Aidou suspected there must be more to the picture._

"_You and Seiren will be responsible to see that his existence is kept secret. You may do anything that you see fit to ensure that he stays put," Kaname had indirectly confirmed Aidou'__s dread that the vampire __was __Ichiru. _

"_I won'__t impose for long though. The insanity will eat me up unless I take back whatever I have given to Zero, you fools! I__'__m incomplete!" Ichiru laughed bitterly. _

"_Aidou __will __see to that little problem of yours," Kaname shifted his gaze towards Aidou and immediately, Aidou understood- he had Zero'__s blood in him and Kaname knew. He would have to give it to Ichiru. Aidou realized that he was being punished by his lord._

_-End of Flashback-_

"What did you do to Tomohisa?" Zero brought Aidou back to the present.

"I gave him a life worse than death." Aidou could not help but smile cynically. _'And do you know that Ichiru is alive?' _he wanted to tell Zero but his loyalty to Kaname held him back.

"I don't need riddles," Zero rolled his eyes.

"You're hopeless, you know that?" Aidou punched Zero's thigh, making Zero glare at him dangerously. Surprisingly, Aidou did not feel threatened at all. His attachment to Zero puzzled him. Aidou was sure Zero felt the same because those amethyst eyes had warmed up for a second before they took on to glaring.

"Straight answers," Zero warned.

"I planted your horrendous _memories_ inside his head. He's at the Association now, waiting for a trial but the last time Takamiya checked, he was still not lucid. You can read the report; Takamiya has it," Aidou explained.

"A life worse than death?" Zero sneered. Aidou narrowed his eyes, waiting for some scathing remark to escape from those insolent lips. "I'm not going to thank you, princess."

"Why am I not surprised?" Aidou mumbled and braced his palms on the sides of the chair, hoisting himself up to get away from Zero but Zero grabbed his shoulders and held him still.

"What are we?" Zero's face was blank, open and unreadable. The question shocked Aidou and he blushed. However Aidou understood Zero's meaning. They had accidentally formed a bond and it was throwing them off balance. They would need to reset the boundaries and never overstep them again. "Straight answers," Zero stated his warning again.

"Promise you won't kill me?" Aidou gulped and licked his lips nervously. Zero said nothing but nodded his head reluctantly. "You will stay still and listen and won't utter a single death threat?" Aidou asked again. Zero rolled his eyes and Aidou took it as an affirmative.

Zero was still holding him by his shoulders when Aidou swooped in and meshed their lips together. He could tell that he had caught Zero by surprise because Zero inhaled too sharply and then tried to push him away. He could feel Zero's eyelashes brushing against his cheek when he snaked his hands into the hair at the back of Zero's head and fisted those silver locks roughly. Then Aidou used his body weight to push Zero back onto the bed.

Zero landed with a painful grunt. He couldn't release Aidou's shoulders without failing to keep the blond from crushing his weight on him so Aidou seized the opportunity to part Zero's lips with his mouth, running his tongue against Zero's firmly clamped teeth. Aidou found Zero's sharp canine tooth and he deliberately grazed his own tongue against it. Blood would do the trick and Aidou would cast his morals aside as long as he got what he wanted. It didn't matter if he cheated. The connection was there; all he wanted to do was get Zero to taste him, to admit him and to accept him.

It worked because Zero reeled as soon as the crimson droplets escaped between his teeth. Blood was his weakness and Aidou triumphed over the fact that he could make Zero lose his control. Aidou smiled against Zero's lips as he felt the vampire hunter kiss him back with equal ferocity, nip his lower lip and suck. He shuddered when Zero splayed one of his palms flat against his rapidly beating chest, feeling for his heartbeat. However, Zero froze a few seconds later and broke the kiss.

"Just let go Zero, just this once," Aidou said while staring into Zero's red stained eyes. He could feel Akatsuki's agitation emanating from behind the door but he chose to ignore it. _'__This is my moment,__'_Aidou thought as he rolled to the side and changed their position so that Zero could hover over him on all fours on the bed. He did not care about the potential danger anymore; he would have the alluring silver-haired vampire hunter all to himself. It was like tasting a forbidden fruit and he was sure that Zero felt the same. 'Taboo', 'forbidden', 'wrong', 'not allowed'- he cast them all aside. _'__O ruthless, perilous, imperious hate, you cannot thwart the promptings of my soul,__'_ he remembered the line from a poem he had read a long time ago.

"Why are you doing this?" Zero's voice was soft, concerned.

"Following my instincts," Aidou smiled when Zero cocked his head to one side in puzzlement. "You should listen to yours too," he added and pulled Zero's head towards his pulsing neck. Zero's warmth, the soft caress of breath against his skin and the earthy, musky scent clouded his judgment.

Aidou could not read the wistful look that Zero had on his face. It was as if he was trying to commit every detail into his memory and Aidou saw something that resembled a smile ghost on the vampire hunter's lips before Zero spoke to him. "I hate you."

Aidou could not hold back his delighted whimper when Zero ran his hands over every inch of his exposed flesh, his face down to the column of his neck. Then Zero followed those trails with his mouth and tongue, those steady hands moved to pop the top buttons of Aidou's dress shirt and pushed it off the left shoulder. Aidou shuddered at the way Zero's tongue flicked at his neck as he nuzzled him, close enough that he could smell the scent of that glorious silver mane. He could feel Zero's hungry eyes tracing the lines of his clavicle up to his pulsing jugular as he waited for the anticipated rapture. It finally came; Zero licked the skin carefully as if he was afraid that Aidou would break, making Aidou growl impatiently. It was all forgotten as soon as Zero sank his fangs and lapped at the welling blood. The vampire hunter was weak, almost desperate for nourishment but he was holding his thirst back. Aidou did not care, he only wanted pleasure and Zero was giving him just that.

Aidou's bliss ended abruptly because Zero only took a little, nursing the wound close. Aidou was about to protest but Zero silenced him with another kiss, only this time it was surprisingly tender and Aidou could taste his own blood on the invading tongue, brushing against his gums, teasing his palette and dancing with his own tongue. Everything about Zero appeared to be surreal because here he was, Aidou Hanabusa, a Level-B aristocrat, frolicking with Kiriyu Zero, an enemy, possibly one of the most ruthless hunter in the making like they were actually lovers.

"There's an end to everything, senpai," Zero spoke to him, hoisting him up by the shoulders so he could sit up on the bed at Zero's side. Aidou studied Zero openly, wishing that he could simply pluck the details out of Zero's head. He could try but Aidou did not have a death wish so he decided to let Zero speak his mind.

"Are you trying to _break up_ with me?" Aidou faked a pout again and earned an annoyed swat to the back of his head. Aidou hissed and glared at Zero.

"None of this will ever happen again," Zero was serious, he narrowed his eyes and stared back at Aidou.

"Is it because of Kaname-sama?"

"Is that what you were hoping, senpai? No! This has to stop because its plain creepy, weird, bizarre and tad wrong." Zero slammed his fist on the mattress.

"So what are we, Zero? Back to being enemies?"

"Of course," the hunter affirmed.

"That is not possible. Not with this stupid bond thing between us."

"I don't understand a thing about this fucking _bond_. I don't have to ask you to marry me or something like that right?"

Zero had sounded so innocent that Aidou could not help but to burst out laughing. Zero swatted his head again and Aidou rubbed the spot in mock protest. "Unless the bond is formed between two beings that harbour mutual _feelings _for one another, there's nothing much to worry about," he explained to Zero.

Zero exhaled in undisguised relief but he asked again, "I can assure you that had never even occurred to me. Harbouring feeling? Tch…Then why are we acting the way we are right now? Given the normal circumstances, I would have slaughtered you. This, these _feelings_... they're damn confusing."

Aidou took a few seconds to contemplate and he remembered the events of the last 48 hours, Kuran Kaname and his sworn secrecy to keep the knowledge of Ichiru's existence from the world, especially Zero. "Let's blame it on vampire hormones, shall we?"

"So, are we back to being enemies?"

"Frenemies." Aidou grabbed Zero's right hand, planted a sloppy, wet kiss and finished off his cheeky antics with a crazed cackle. He wished he had a camera because Zero's mortified face was simply priceless.

* * *

A/N- FINISHED!

Okay, I have some explanation to do. Her Little Doll edited this chapter for me. Then, I made some changes and uploaded it without telling her about the changes. :p So if you do come across some mistakes, it's my fault. Tsk, tsk, tsk.. My dear beloved beta is nothing but perfection. Luv you Doll!

Btw, I borrowed something from elspethie. I borrowed her concept of the blood bond. There's nothing such as a real blood bond in canon right? Or am I wrong? Elspethie wrote that the 'bond' can only be formed when there's a mutual feeling between both parties. I like this 'concept' better. Thanks dearie! Read her story "A Series of Decisions" and you'll see. Read it, read it, read it.

Thank you for those who had read, reviewed, favourite and put this story on alert. The PMs are great, you guys are great. Really. And I'm sorry for torturing you eyes/brain with my blunders. Soooo sorry..

xoxo

awanbiru


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